VOIP Tech Chat → Google Voice - Feature Request to Port number to GV

Google Voice has a Feature Request/Suggestions page.

»www.google.com/support/v ··· et=16988

You can click "Port a number to Google Voice" (2nd one in 2nd group).

No thanks. There is no indication that Google will keep this around for long and I would hate to lose the number.

Another reason many people might be reluctant to port prime numbers to GV is to avoid being even more dependent on this one company.

By their strong domination of the search engine market and general information markets, they control so much of our lives already. Then we add Gmail, Google Maps, Google Earth, and several other services. I wouldn't want them having control of my phone number too.

Google tracks everyone 24/7/365 enough already.

If you have an existing ILEC number to port to GV you wouldn't lose the number if GV went belly up.

But anyway, the OP is confusing capitalism and democracy. Not that GV can be put squarely under either model at this point, but it's definitely closer to capitalism.

Feature requests serve two main purposes: Feel-good for users and measuring the market for new features. They are pretty much useless unless the overwhelming majority of a paying population wants them or they can be implemented easily and cheaply. Neither would be true with porting to GV.

Like radio station request lines: They just wait until somebody calls and asks them to play what was already on the playlist. Then they can put that caller's voice on the air and pretend they're serving any peon that calls.

You aren't paying them, they don't care what you think. That's capitalism.

Whereas democracy has something to do with voting and lobbyists, but I haven't quite figured that out myself yet.

blah blah blah....it's just a choice. if you want to use it, do; if not, don't.

»www.google.com/support/v ··· et=16988

adding to the discussion .... for the business owners out there, thinking about GV as a mechanism for employees to have "one-number" type service so that a call would ring to both desk and cell at the same time .... at least for now, GV is a consumer service, not for businesses. If you have your employee use a personal GV number as his business "one-number" and subsequently the employee terminates, then all business calls would still be directed to that employee's GV number for which you have no control, and all potential revenue from that former employee's contacts becomes potential new revenue for your competitor that hires him. Before you allow your employees to use GV on behalf of your business, consider the future danger if the employee leaves and takes customers with him! That free service could cost your business plenty in the long run.

any more off topic imaginings?

If you like GV and want to be able to have the choice to port a favorite number to it, here's where you can request the feature (and some other features):

»www.google.com/support/v ··· et=16988

just to clarify ... is that to order a specific port in to be worked and be active? or to make a feature request that GV add a port in capability someday?

Does that clarify it? It's the latter.

I realize the number would not be "lost" so to speak, but if Google decided to deep six Voice, then where is the support etc that you may need should something go awry?

For those that want to port, this is good for them. I have liked having my GC/GV number for a long time, but I would not feel comfortable porting my main number.

PX also makes another point...Let's not forget that Google in all their "neatness" is an advertising company. I am not crazy about some of the practices to dish up some ads, and would not at this time use Android on the phone.

To each their own...

It's a mistake to think that we give nothing of value for Google's services simply because we do not pay money to receive them. Broadcast TV is also "free," but rest assured that broadcasters care a great deal about whether the audience is large or small. Google, Hotmail, and most of what goes on over the web is very much a part of capitalism, even when end users are not forking over cash in order to participate.

I for one would be much more likely to use GV if I could port my number to them. I'm not oblivious to the risks identified in this thread, but bearing those risks is a price I'd be willing to consider paying in exchange for the service.

If you like GV and want to be able to have the choice to port a favorite number to it, here's where you can request the feature (and some other features):

»www.google.com/support/v ··· et=16988

Wouldn't porting your main number over pose a problem? Since your main number is your MAIN number, you would lose the service attached to the main number. In turn you would have to sign up for a new number from the same company you just ported your main number from? Made my brain hurt thinking about it there

then don't do it.

if you ported any number to GV then you could have it ring on any other number(s) that you own. it's not that hard.

newsflash: there are lots of companies...local POTS, VOIP, Cell, MJ, your vacation houses, etc.

»www.google.com/support/v ··· r=115102

Although you can't currently port your existing number to Google Voice, we hope to offer this option in the near future.

The business can open the Google Voice account in its name, keep the password, and the employee would be required to go through the business to initiate any changes, no?

No, because it's a consumer service. The danger is when the employee signs up on his own. It's the same problem as with personal cellphones used for business purposes. At some point, certainly, Google will SELL these things to businesses with a master portal where things can be controlled.

Business' commonly have cellular accounts with providers, that the business controls, and gives employees phones.

Why not similar here?

For the xth time, because GV is a consumer service. At some point Google is likely to SELL accounts for business use, then it's different, other than the price.

GV isn't even a consumer service (yet), as it's not really available to the public. But I wouldn't say they need to charge money for the service in order for it to be a business service. Google Apps is aimed at business, albeit small business, and Google does not charge for those services. Like Gmail, GV will prove it's worth when it can sell ads for Google. How it does that is still a bit of a mystery, but I wouldn't be surprised if it targets ads based on your voicemail transcriptions. I don't know whether the ad revenue will justify the cost of providing the service, but there is no reason to think that business users will generate less of that revenue than consumers.