PSA: Google Voice officially launches in Canada with G Suite

So that's USD $10 in addition to the USD $7.80 for the Basic GSuite?

Google voice is still free in the US right?

May 6
iPhone in Canada
Google Blog

Available as a G Suite subscription add-on.
Canadian numbers. Port-in available soon.

Voice starts at $10/mo USD, per user.
https://cloud.google.com/voice#pricing

Requires a G Suite account.
- G Suite Basic 7.80/mo, Business 15.60/mo CAD, per user
- there's a 14-day free trial
https://gsuite.google.com/pricing.html
- domain name required for G Suite
- transfer one in or get through Google
https://domains.google.com/m/registrar ($17CAD)

coilz wrote: ↑ Google voice is still free in the US right?

Yes, even to Canadians who use US numbers.

It's a start! I wonder if it will make it to the personal level? That would be a good thing!

Maybe I'm missing something. Seems expensive to me.

alanbrenton wrote: ↑ Yes, even to Canadians who use US numbers.

Yeah I've held on to my US Google voice number for a decade now since the time I went to school in the States. Funny thing is Uber/Lyft doesn't like Google voice numbers. Could never register to use my GV number with them when I traveled in the states.

coilz wrote: ↑ Yeah I've held on to my US Google voice number for a decade now since the time I went to school in the States. Funny thing is Uber/Lyft doesn't like Google voice numbers. Could never register to use my GV number with them when I traveled in the states.

It does work, you have to ask nicely. I have a non-North American SIM in my phone and I told Uber that if a driver ever tried to call that number, I would not answer it because of the toll charges. They added my Google Voice number to my Uber account.

I also use my Google Voice number for UBER/Lyft. As far as I know, I don't have any issues with it although it hasn't been needed for a few years.

I don't really see the added value of Google Voice; it's too late and too expensive.

Back in 2016/2017, there was no SMS on VoIP.ms and the mobile apps were somewhat unreliable, so Google Voice would have been a good service had it been available to Canada.

Nowadays, an app like Groundwire can have a 100% reliable connection for voice and SMS through VoIP.ms.

With VoIP.ms, I spent about $4/month for my number and voice time (4 hours / month) and SMS.
I admit that that it wasn't simple to configure Groundwire to be 100% reliable.

For non-tech savvy users, Fongo requires no configuration and costs less than $2/month.

batcave wrote: ↑ It does work, you have to ask nicely. I have a non-North American SIM in my phone and I told Uber that if a driver ever tried to call that number, I would not answer it because of the toll charges. They added my Google Voice number to my Uber account.

Oh i never got that far with it by actually talking to someone at Uber/Lyft. the Gvoice number just never gets accepted/verified by the app when I try to switch from my CDN number to the Gvoice number.

coilz wrote: ↑ Oh i never got that far with it by actually talking to someone at Uber/Lyft. the Gvoice number just never gets accepted/verified by the app when I try to switch from my CDN number to the Gvoice number.

At one point my Google Voice operated fine on Uber and then one day it stopped working and I had to verify with my foreign phone number to be able to book a ride. I had to call in and get my Google Voice number added back in and activated.

I'm not sure about Lyft though.

Yeah, this is way too expensive considering my US GV number is free. Maybe another five years and they'll offer personal signups.

alkizmo wrote: ↑ I don't really see the added value of Google Voice; it's too late and too expensive.

Back in 2016/2017, there was no SMS on VoIP.ms and the mobile apps were somewhat unreliable, so Google Voice would have been a good service had it been available to Canada.

Nowadays, an app like Groundwire can have a 100% reliable connection for voice and SMS through VoIP.ms.

With VoIP.ms, I spent about $4/month for my number and voice time (4 hours / month) and SMS.
I admit that that it wasn't simple to configure Groundwire to be 100% reliable.

For non-tech savvy users, Fongo requires no configuration and costs less than $2/month.

What configuration did you use for groundwire? I am currently using 3cx with voip.ms and thinking to change to groundwire.

I'm using VoIP.ms, which is fine but sometimes I miss MMS messages. Does Google voice receive MMS?

wheelz wrote: ↑ I'm using VoIP.ms, which is fine but sometimes I miss MMS messages. Does Google voice receive MMS?

Yes Google Voice can receive and send MMS messages.

The limitations that I've seen is that Google Voice (the free US version) cannot send emojis to Canadian numbers unless it is a Canadian VoIP number. It is a North American only service. It can receive text messages from all over the world but you cannot reply unless it is to a US or Canadian number. Calling works for any destination though.

pass!!

as others said, too expensive.

And at this point in the game, other solutions (voip.ms) are ahead.
I'm a GSuite user, and I'm looking to jump ship honestly.

cchan90 wrote: ↑ What configuration did you use for groundwire? I am currently using 3cx with voip.ms and thinking to change to groundwire.

From what I heard, 3cx is very stable, but I didn't go that route because it required to setup a 3cx server with Google's virtual hosts.

But if you want to go with Groundwire, here are some changes I did:

In VoIP.ms' subaccount settings:

Protocol : SIP
Authentication type : User/Password authentication
Device type : ATA Device
Advanced options / Allowed Codecs : G.711U only
Advanced options / DTMF mode : AUTO
Advanced options / NAT : Yes
Advanced options / Encrypted SIP traffic : No
Advanced options / Max expiry : 90
Advanced options / RTP Time Out : 90
Advanced options / RTP Hold Time Out : 600

In VoIP.ms' DID settings:

Routing : SIP/IAX (select your subaccount)


"Settings / Preferences" menu:

Sound / Echo cancellation : Disabled (might be better or worse depending on your phone, you test it)
Sound / Noise suppression : Disabled (might be better or worse depending on your phone, you test it)
Sound / Audio processing configuration / Select "System audio processing" (might be better or worse depending on your phone, you test system audio and in-app audio)
Sound / Advanced sound settings / Samping Rate : 16000hz
Sound / Advanced sound settings / Playback block size : 8 ms
Sound / Advanced sound settings / Playback buffer size : 20 ms
Controls / Call Integration / Call Intagration mode / Select "Use system dialer integration"
Controls / Call Integration / System calling accounts / Enable "Groundwire"
Controls / Call Integration / System dialer configuration / Make sure Groundwire is there

"Settings / Accounts "

Add your VoIP.ms account, using the same server you chose in your DID Point of Presence in the VoIP.ms' DID settings.

"Settings / Accounts / Advanced settings "
Incoming calls / Select "Push notifications"
Send media back : Enabled
Send keep-alives : Enabled
Keep alive period : 30
Audio Codecs for Wifi (and mobile data) : G.711 u-law enabled (everything else disabled)
Audio Codecs for Wifi (and mobile data) / Packet time : 10ms
Outgoing calls need registration : Enabled
Transport Protocol : tcp
Push ptions / Simulate NAT : Enabled
Expires : 30
Messaging / SIMPLE : Enabled
Messaging / Composing notification : Disabled
Messaging / Delivery notification : Disabled

alkizmo wrote: ↑ From what I heard, 3cx is very stable, but I didn't go that route because it required to setup a 3cx server with Google's virtual hosts.

But if you want to go with Groundwire, here are some changes I did:

In VoIP.ms' subaccount settings:

Protocol : SIP
...

So all these changes are at the Voip.ms' end... How about Groundwire configuration - did you have to make any significant changes there, or you found it's pretty stable out of the box (aside from configuring the SIP account obviously)

Thanks,