All U.S. V30/V3O+/V30S will need stock firmware, not LOS-based custom ROMs. When?

[schwinn8]

Yeah, there's lots to like about GV... the big issue is that it's a Google property so it could change or go away, but it's been around for a while now, fortunately, and works quite well.

For example, my home phone ("landline" number) is on GV. It used to actually ring to my house phones via an OBi phone adapter - one time purchase of like $30 back in the day, and I had VOIP for no additional cost. I ran it in my previous house by disconnecting the wires to the phone company, and then using the existing home wiring to carry that output throughout the house for my cordless phones.

In this new house, I never bothered to set up the hardware. The phone number is still active, but it just goes to voicemail. I only give that number to companies so they can spam it all they want. If someone actually leaves a message, it's setup to let me know over email Anyone else/important has my cell number.

For the cell, I used to use GV as the number I gave out. It would forward to my actual cell. In addition, it provides all the VM capabilities. In the past, when texting was limited, I used GV texting exclusively as well - that way the carrier didn't charge me anything and I didn't need a texting plan. Nowadays, all phone calls and texts are unlimited, so I use the carrier number more often... but I could go back if I wanted to.

For business, I setup GV numbers for my company and my wife's as well. That way, I have a separate number, VM, and texting for those purposes. No one outside me knows that this is our setup - it works transparently for all callers. And, again, saves money because I don't need to pay for any service like this...

And then you can call from computers, tablets, whatever... and as long as you have wifi you can do that without even being on a cell network (ie, in other countries)... so no SIM card required, no global phones to deal with, no extra charges.

Basically, you can use any or all of GV to suit your needs. If you want texting, use that by itself. If you only want VM, then just use that. If you want a separate number, use that. Pick and choose and customize how you want to use it. All for no cost. Note, much of this started with another company in the past called GrandCentral... Google bought them, turned it into GV, and added some features/capability along the way.

I'm happy to help anyone with how to set things up, but we probably should move this discussion to a separate thread... feel free to call me into it if I miss it, as I don't spend a lot of time on the V30 section of XDA anymore (since I have an S10+ now).

 

[ChazzMatt]

Years ago if you weren't simply porting in, Google Voice would let you choose your new phone number...

And if you wanted it to "spell" something (like a business name) or maybe numbers that meant something to you (4 digit birthday?), they provided a number generator that would show you options within the area codes/region you chose.

They also let you have up to two phone numbers on one account.

It just happened the last 4 digits of my Verizon number was of significance to me and I definitely wanted to keep it. (No, I'm not telling why.) I ported it to Google Voice and then chose a 2nd number with the same last 4 digits in metro Atlanta. I've never used that 2nd number. It's just parked in my account, just in case.

Then I signed my wife up for Google Voice and chose two new phone numbers for her with the same last 4 digits. One of them became her main number, and the other is parked. (We didn't port her old carrier number.)

So, we both have cell numbers like:

770-555-1234 (main)
678-555-1234

404-555-1234 (main)
470-555-1234

(That 555 exchange is fictional for this example. Nor are the last 4 digits 1234. But all have matching last 4 digits.)

It causes questions when we give out our numbers to friends. "HOW do you have the same last 4 digits in your phone numbers?" "And why?" Sometimes we tell, sometimes we don't. "It's a mystery."

Last time I checked, seems Google no longer has the number generator testing option.

 

[schwinn8]

They still let you choose your number that way. I did that when I setup my company number in September of last year. Obviously this doesn't apply if you're porting-in.

I did the same thing on my phone as well - I have the same area code and last 4... and the exchanges are off by a single digit, too. Unfortunately, this seems to confuse people even more, because now I have two VERY SIMILAR looking numbers, and the different digit is towards the middle, so people don't pay attention to the difference. Either way, they can still get to me... it just changes which way it shows up on my end.

One note - when texting, due to Google Messages, it's better for people to use my carrier number (for me)... so I try to get people to shift over without too much exposition (unlike here, where I type forever, as you can see!)

 

[ldeveraux]

I remember setting up my VZ -> GV port of voicemail years ago. Is there a proper tutorial? I hope that nothing would go south in the future but you never know. And I can't remember how I did it!

 

[schwinn8]

I'm not aware of a tutorial off the top of my head. If you're only looking to transfer VM, then you simply need to find the star-code for your carrier for unanswered forwarding. I think GV actually provides some of this info as you go through the process.

Here's a link I found for you anyway: https://support.google.com/voice/answer/165656?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform=Android and they include the star-codes for ATT and VZ...

 

[ChazzMatt]

They still let you choose your number that way. I did that when I setup my company number in September of last year. Obviously this doesn't apply if you're porting-in.

I did the same thing on my phone as well - I have the same area code and last 4... and the exchanges are off by a single digit, too. Unfortunately, this seems to confuse people even more, because now I have two VERY SIMILAR looking numbers, and the different digit is towards the middle, so people don't pay attention to the difference. Either way, they can still get to me... it just changes which way it shows up on my end.

One note - when texting, due to Google Messages, it's better for people to use my carrier number (for me)... so I try to get people to shift over without too much exposition (unlike here, where I type forever, as you can see!)

I use the Google Voice app for texting, on my cell phone as well as PC. Everyone with one exception.

Recently our long time bank has starting requiring my carrier phone number for texting security codes when logging in. Annoyed me and my wife as we never give out our irrelevant, throwaway carrier phone numbers to anyone. But I had to give them my carrier phone number as did my wife, when "email" randomly doesn't show up as an option. Yet my credit union still happily uses my Google Voice number for texting security codes, as my bank previously did. Go figure.

=====

@schwinn8, just sent you a PM about something else. I often don't see PMs myself, so just letting you know.

 

[schwinn8]

Yeah, I've seen that far too often - they refuse to take my "home" number for some reason, and want a "real" texting number. I don't get why - if I receive texts fine, then they should STFU... but I have used my carrier number for that because I found no other way around it.

I wonder what true VOIP users would do in those situations? Ie, if I have Comcrap's VOIP phone at home, and it was my only phone, what then?

 

[ChazzMatt]

Yeah, I've seen that far too often - they refuse to take my "home" number for some reason, and want a "real" texting number. I don't get why - if I receive texts fine, then they should STFU... but I have used my carrier number for that because I found no other way around it.

I wonder what true VOIP users would do in those situations? Ie, if I have Comcrap's VOIP phone at home, and it was my only phone, what then?

I have Vonage for home phone, and have since like 2004 when I dumped Bell South (prior to it becoming AT&T). It's pure VoIP. They accept that as my home phone for verification calls, but just won't accept a Google Voice number for texting. Inconsistent.

 

[ChazzMatt]

T-Mobile begins shutdown of Sprint 3G CDMA network, to be completed ‘no later than May 31’
https://www.theverge.com/2022/3/30/...wn-date-push-back-sprint-3g-dcma-network-dish

The shutdown will begin March 31st and be turned off completely by May 31st. 2022, of course.

 

[Osprey00]

It's been 3 months to the day since the start of AT&T's 3G shutdown and my V30 with LOS still works on AT&T.

 

[ChazzMatt]

It's been 3 months to the day since the start of AT&T's 3G shutdown and my V30 with LOS still works on AT&T.

Interesting that your 3G towers are still functional.

Here in Atlanta area, my AT&T number stopped working back then. I had to switch to "data" calls on Google Voice and I can no longer initiate calls with regular phone dialer as it tries to use AT&T number. Back when it was working correctly, the call would start with my carrier number but transfer over to some Google phone exchange (seamlessly) and then show up recipient's caller ID as my Google Voice number. Or when people called me, my Google Voice would immediately forward to my AT&T number and my phone would ring. Worked fine for 10 years.

Now, I am having to use AT&T data for Google Voice calls when I'm not connected to Wi-Fi here at the house.

At least my AT&T texting still works for my bank security challenges.

 

[Osprey00]

Interesting that your 3G towers are still functional.

Here in Atlanta area, my AT&T number stopped working back then. I had to switch to "data" calls on Google Voice and I can no longer initiate calls with regular phone dialer as it tries to use AT&T number. Back when it was working correctly, the call would start with my carrier number but transfer over to some Google phone exchange (seamlessly) and then show up recipient's caller ID as my Google Voice number. Or when people called me, my Google Voice would immediately forward to my AT&T number and my phone would ring. Worked fine for 10 years.

Now, I am having to use AT&T data for Google Voice calls when I'm not connected to Wi-Fi here at the house.

At least my AT&T texting still works for my bank security challenges.

I'm near Nashville, so not too far from you. AT&T's coverage map shows that I'm deeply within 5G territory, so it seems like an exaggeration, at least, that they had to cannibalize 3G to expand 5G. They may've quietly caved to the complaints from industries that still rely on 3G (security companies, automobile companies using OnStar and the like) and I'm benefiting from it.

When your AT&T number stopped working, it may not be that the 3G towers stopped working, but that AT&T deactivated your phone because they shipped you a new one. They did the same to me last August. I woke up and suddenly had no service. I had to chat with AT&T and ask them to re-activate it, which they did. I haven't had any issues with service since.

I imagine that I'll lose coverage eventually, but I'm not going to replace my favorite phone ever if it's still fully functional. The longer that I hold out, the cheaper the phones that I'm considering will be or the better the phones in my price range will be. I have AT&T's trash phone to switch to temporarily while waiting if/when that happens.

 

[ChazzMatt]

I'm near Nashville, so not too far from you. AT&T's coverage map shows that I'm deeply within 5G territory, so it seems like an exaggeration, at least, that they had to cannibalize 3G to expand 5G. They may've quietly caved to the complaints from industries that still rely on 3G (security companies, automobile companies using OnStar and the like) and I'm benefiting from it.

When your AT&T number stopped working, it may not be that the 3G towers stopped working, but that AT&T deactivated your phone because they shipped you a new one. They did the same to me last August. I woke up and suddenly had no service. I had to chat with AT&T and ask them to re-activate it, which they did. I haven't had any issues with service since.

I imagine that I'll lose coverage eventually, but I'm not going to replace my favorite phone ever if it's still fully functional. The longer that I hold out, the cheaper the phones that I'm considering will be or the better the phones in my price range will be. I have AT&T's trash phone to switch to temporarily while waiting if/when that happens.

Yes, they did de-activate my V30+. But I switched over to the Note 9 they sent me -- which I rooted. It already had a SIM card in it, and they had already activated it when they deactivated the V30+. I never took the deactivated SIM card out of the V30+.

But for some time, several weeks, 3G still worked on the Note 9 when I made or received calls. My Google Voice piggy backed on my AT&T number. Solid signal as usual. Now that 3G no longer works and my phone doesn't have VoLTE (because I won't update to the firmware that enables it, as I would lose root), then I am relying solely upon AT&T LTE data when out of the house and Wi-Fi data in my house. My calls on Wi-Fi are solid but my phone calls when on LTE data sometimes sound sketchy, like I'm going through a tunnel. I do not connect my phone to my work Wi-Fi, on purpose, for personal reasons.

It's ironic AT&T sent me this phone (carrier unlocked Note 9) which should have AT&T VoLTE -- but not Wi-Fi calling as it's not AT&T branded. Yet, I don't actually have AT&T VoLTE (because I'm purposely not on current firmware) -- but I do have Wi-Fi calling (thanks to Google Voice) and I have Google Voice calls through AT&T LTE data, which is technically VoIP, so I guess voice over LTE (VoLTE).

 

[Osprey00]

I finally lost 3G recently and, with it, the ability to make and receive calls. Remembering what ChazzMatt had said, I immediately installed Google Voice, picked a number and set it up. Next, I took the SIM card out, put it into the trash phone that AT&T sent me, turned the phone on, dialed *21*<my new 10-digit GV number># and tapped Call. That's the procedure for setting up call forwarding with AT&T and requires a phone that works on their network. Other carriers may have a different code or instructions for setting up call forwarding. Anyways, after a few seconds, I powered down, removed the SIM card and put it back into my V30+. Finally, I set Google Voice to be my default Phone app and replaced the original app's icon on my homescreen with GV's.

Everything works great. I can receive calls made to my AT&T number (they get forwarded to my GV number), receive calls made to my GV number and make calls from my GV number. The only minor inconvenience is that friends and family need to add my GV number to their contact for me in order to see that it's me calling, but that's not a big deal, since I prefer to text them. Porting my AT&T number to GV would presumably solve that, but I understand that that would cancel my AT&T service and require me to sign up for new service with someone, which I don't want.

If you set up Google Voice for the same purpose, it's important to NOT let the GV app link your carrier number because that's apparently for forwarding incoming GV calls to your carrier number, which is the opposite of what we want. I had them linked for a while before I realized that I wasn't receiving calls because they were caught in a forwarding loop. Also in GV, you want to set "Making and receiving calls" to "Prefer Wi-Fi and mobile data."

Thanks again to @ChazzMatt for helping me realize that Google Voice could be a solution in order to keep using my V30+. I'm still perfectly happy with it and happy that I don't have to replace it just yet.

 

[Osprey00]

@ChazzMatt You may have gotten the same thing, but I got a text message from AT&T today about an offer for a free Galaxy S22 if I trade in any Galaxy of any condition. The deal expires tomorrow (9/29) and can be found at att.com/getmygalaxy or att.com/epicdeals. I filled out the form to see what the trade-in value for the S10+ is and it said $800 (compared to $5 for my V30+, haha), so the deal seems real. Now I wish that I'd followed your lead earlier in the year and bought the S10+ because I could've turned it into an S22. Oh well. I thought that I'd at least make sure that you didn't miss it.

 

[ChazzMatt]

@ChazzMatt You may have gotten the same thing, but I got a text message from AT&T today about an offer for a free Galaxy S22 if I trade in any Galaxy of any condition. The deal expires tomorrow (9/29) and can be found at att.com/getmygalaxy or att.com/epicdeals. I filled out the form to see what the trade-in value for the S10+ is and it said $800 (compared to $5 for my V30+, haha), so the deal seems real. Now I wish that I'd followed your lead earlier in the year and bought the S10+ because I could've turned it into an S22. Oh well. I thought that I'd at least make sure that you didn't miss it.

Thanks for thinking of me. And it's nice the only trade in deals aren't just for the new iPhones, like the commercials suggest.

But for now I'm keeping what I have, because it's rooted and I'm happy with it.

Also, I recently switched back to AT&T Prepaid -- as I only had AT&T postpaid for the microcell I could have on my account. When 3G went away, AT&T also disabled all their microcells. So, as I'm dependent upon Google Voice for phone calls (with Wi-Fi at home and AT&T data away from home), I cut my costs by going with AT&T Prepaid.

Paying less than $75 total for 3 accounts, with 15GB (mine)/5GB (wife)/5GB (elderly mother).

But these enticing trade in deals are for people with "postpaid", like I had for a couple years.

 

[tech_infinity]

@ChazzMatt You may have gotten the same thing, but I got a text message from AT&T today about an offer for a free Galaxy S22 if I trade in any Galaxy of any condition. The deal expires tomorrow (9/29) and can be found at att.com/getmygalaxy or att.com/epicdeals. I filled out the form to see what the trade-in value for the S10+ is and it said $800 (compared to $5 for my V30+, haha), so the deal seems real. Now I wish that I'd followed your lead earlier in the year and bought the S10+ because I could've turned it into an S22. Oh well. I thought that I'd at least make sure that you didn't miss it.

why not buy a used Samsung galaxy for cheap and trade it in

 

[Osprey00]

why not buy a used Samsung galaxy for cheap and trade it in

The thought crossed my mind, but the deal initially was set to expire the next day. I just checked, though, and it looks like you can still get the deal if the Samsung is in good condition. Maybe I'll still do it.