Google Voice Number Porting to Cost $20 + ETFs
Google Voice users who don’t want to leave their old phone number behind will soon be able to port it to the service.
Last night, word got out that Google Voice users now had the option of porting their own phone number. Google quickly clarified that this was a feature that was just being tested and not everyone would have access it right away.
"We’re continually testing new features to enhance the user experience. For a limited amount of time, we’re making the Google Voice number porting process available to users. We don’t have any additional details to share at this time, but plan to offer this feature to all users in the near future."
As you can see from the screenshots (via TechCrunch), porting your number costs $20. However, there’s also a big warning about the possibility of incurring early termination fees (ETFs) from your current carrier. This is because porting your number essentially terminates your phone service plan. As a result of this (and because Google Voice isn’t a cell phone provider), you’ll need to either sign up with a new carrier or re-sign with your current one for a new number and a new plan. Once that’s done, you can register your newly acquired number as a forwarding number your Google Voice account. From then on, any calls made to your old, ported number will forward to your new number.
Obviously, Google is testing this feature prior to a more widespread release, so it will be available to all Google Voice users in the future. Now, the question is, do you think it’s worth the money, and will you be availing of it when it becomes available to you?
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Cool
So we're soon to see Google get into the Cell Phone Provider since most companies aren't going to be very happy with this service that Google is providing...
And so the Google invasion of the VoIP market begins, one number at a time!
It was always stupid that you can't forward calls with prepaid phones due to carrier restrictions. Now, someone else has come along and offered exactly that service. I expect many people will simply use it to bypass the senseless restrictions carriers put in place. That is really the killer feature being offered here. Carriers are consistently shooting themselves in the foot with the "you can't do this unless I can find a way to make you pay for it" attitude, and now they're gonna suffer. I'll pay the $20 just to stick it to them.
I think that's backwards, is it not? Wouldn't your old, ported number then be forwarded to your new cell-number? Isn't that the point of porting your old number, so you can continue to give out that old number rather than a new number? That's the whole point of Google Voice, right? Use one number, and have those calls forwarded to any number of other phone lines (cell, home, work, etc...)?
I still don't know about giving my number to Google. What happens in a year or too when they never move this service out of beta and shut it down, will I be able to get my phone number back?
The point is that Google is providing consumers with the ability to pay a one time fee to really 'own' your phone number. Carriers have been using this mechanism to rape consumers.
I think that's backwards, is it not? Wouldn't your old, ported number then be forwarded to your new cell-number? Isn't that the point of porting your old number, so you can continue to give out that old number rather than a new number? That's the whole point of Google Voice, right? Use one number, and have those calls forwarded to any number of other phone lines (cell, home, work, etc...)? I still don't know about giving my number to Google. What happens in a year or too when they never move this service out of beta and shut it down, will I be able to get my phone number back?
You're right! Sorry, I got them the wrong way around. Yes, that is the whole point of Google Voice, though I agree with you in not really being sure of Google having my phone number... They already have my name, address and credit card info from when I bought my Nexus One, so it likely doesn't matter at this stage, but still..
google is taking over EVERYTHING