Google Voice is an internet-based free telephone service that allows you to combine multiple cellular services and forward calls to several phones (landlines or mobile) at a time. Google Voice has been providing Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) calling services since it launched in 2009 after Google acquired GrandCentral, a call service start-up. With Google Voice, you can talk on phone and send text messages as long as you have an internet connection, and you will also be able to forward your calls to your other devices.
If you are a person that has various phone numbers (home, business, etc) or a person that travels quite a lot, you can utilize Google Voice to merge multiple communication channels to keep you from having to bounce between different carrier or international phone numbers. You can use Google Voice on your different devices like your computer, personal smartphone, tablets or your desk phone. Getting started on Google Voice is free but before using any of Google Voice services, you will be required to have a Google account.
Upon getting started, you have the option of using your personal number by porting it to Google Voice, or selecting a new one. Porting a number allows you to continue using the phone number that all your contacts are used to without having to change it into a new one. You can port a number to Google Voice and port it out of Google Voice. Unlocking a Google Voice number to another carrier is the most common type of porting and it is not a difficult process. You can easily unlock your Google phone number and make it ready for use on other carriers by following the simple process described in this article. Keep reading to port your Google Voice phone number.
How Can I Unlock My Google Voice Number?
Your Google Voice phone number is automatically locked on to the network whether you generated the number from Google Voice or you ported your own phone number to Google Voice upon creating an account. This is done to prevent the porting of your phone number to another carrier without your permission. This is why you will be required to unlock your Google Voice phone number first before using it on another carrier. You can also unlock your Google Voice and port it to another Google account that you control. Unlocking your Google Voice phone number is not complicated and can be done via a simple process that you can access through the Google Voice website.
Before unlocking your Google Voice phone number, you need to take note of the following:
- Your Google account will be accessed.
- A payment of $3 will be required if the phone number is generated from Google Voice. If the number was originally your mobile phone number, no payment is required.
- You will need a new Google Voice phone number after porting the current one if you want to continue using the service.
- You need to contact the carrier or service that you want to port your Google Voice phone number to.
Keep reading to find out how to unlock your Google Voice phone number.
How to Unlock Your Google Voice Phone Number?
- On a web browser on your device, visit the Google Voice Unlock webpage at https://www.google.com/voice/unlock. You will be required to log in to your Google account before continuing.
- You will see a list of Google Voice phone numbers after logging in as well as the unlock status of the phone numbers. Tap on the drop down menu located beside Select Your Number and choose the phone number you want to unlock from the list.
- You will recieve a popup message explaining what will happen after you’ve unlocked your Google Voice phone number. Click on Unlock My Number to continue.
- You will be guided to the payment webpage. You will only be required to make the payment if the Google Voice phone number was generated from the service and wasn’t originally ported to the service.
- If a payment is necessary, you will need to input your payment details which include your credit/debit card number, your card’s expiration date, your card’s verification number, your card name, and your billing address.
- Tap on Buy after you’ve input all the necessary details. You will be charged $3 by Google Voice for the unlocking process.
- After a successful payment process, you will get a confirmation email that will contain the receipt for the phone number unlocking.
After you have successfully unlocked your Google Voice phone number, you can port it to another carrier like Verizon, AT&T or T-Mobile or other phone services like; Clerk, Textup, Follow Up Boss, Fax.plus, SpectrumVoIP, and more by contacting the carrier or services and letting them know that you would like to port your number to their network or service. Most of these services will request the Google Voice Unlock receipt that you obtained from the confirmation email before accepting your porting request.
How to Port a Google Voice Phone Number to Another Google Account?
Google Voice allows you to port phone numbers between your various different Google accounts. There might be a situation where you would want to stop using a Google account and you would like to continue using the Google Voice phone number associated with that account. In this case, you can transfer the phone number to a new Google account that you control. This only works if the new Google account does not have one or more Google Voice phone numbers on file.
To port a Google Voice phone number to another Google account;
- On your web browser, visit the Google Voice webpage at https://www.google.com/voice and sign in to your Google account.
- On the top left corner of the home screen, you will see the Main Menu. Tap on the Main Menu. Click on Legacy Google to revert back to the old Google Voice interface.
- Click on the gear icon located in the top right corner of the screen and tap on Settings from the drop down menu. Navigate to the Phones tab and click on Transfer which is located next to your current Google Voice phone number.
- You will receive a pop up message telling you about the terms of transferring a Google Voice phone number. In the bottom of the pop up message, click on Sign Into Another Account if you aren’t already logged in to the account you would like to transfer the Google Voice number to.
- If you are logged in, select the account at the bottom of the pop up message and click Transfer. If not, sign in to the account and repeat steps 2 and 3.
- After the transfer, you will need to verify the Google Voice phone number on the new Google account by linking a mobile phone number to the Google Voice account that you just transferred the phone number to.
If the transfer is successful, you will be able to use your old Google Voice phone number on a fresh Google account without any hassle. This means that you do not have to generate new phone numbers whenever you want to register Google Voice on a new Google account.
Pros and Cons of Unlocking Your Google Voice Phone Number
Unlocking your Google Voice phone number or porting it to another carrier or service makes it possible for you to retain your old phone number under a new VoIP or telecom provider. It is a great system of changing service providers without having to inform all your contacts about a new phone number change since you are retaining your old number. However, there is still some level of complexity and downside when unlocking your Google Voice phone number or porting it to another service or carrier. Below are the pros and cons of unlocking or porting your Google Voice phone number.
Pros of Unlocking your Google Voice Phone Number
- Phone Number Control: Unlocking your Google Voice phone number gives you control over the number and you have the freedom to subscribe to any other carrier or VoIP service of your choice.
- Easy Transition to Other Carriers: The unlocking process creates an easy transition where you do not have to change numbers when moving to another carrier. You can just port your old phone number to the service you are subscribing to.
- Free For Original Mobile Number: If the Google Voice phone number you are unlocking was originally your mobile phone number that you ported to Google Voice, the process is free and you will not be required to make a payment.
Cons of Unlocking your Google Voice Phone Number
- Complex Process with Carriers: The unlocking process might be easy but porting the Google Voice phone number to another carrier is a complex process. You will need to undergo processes that involve verification before your request gets approved by the carrier or VoIP service.
- Unlocking Fee: A payment of $3 will be required when unlocking your phone number if the phone number was generated from Google Voice upon registration.
- High Risk of Loss of Phone Number: In case there is any issue during the unlocking process, there is a high risk of the phone number becoming unusable due to a failure in the unlocking or porting process.
Can I Port my Google Voice Phone Number to Verizon Network?
Yes you can. You can port your Google Voice phone number to Verizon by first unlocking the phone number and contacting the Verizon customer service to request for a port. Verizon will need you to provide your name, account number and the Google Voice phone number you would like to port to the Verizon network.
How Can I Port my Google Voice Phone Number to Another VoIP Service?
You can port the Google Voice number to another VoIP service by unlocking the number at https://www.google.com/voice/unlock and contacting the VoIP service. Most of these services will require you to provide the unlock receipt you received from the Google Voice service and other details like account details, name and the Google Voice phone number.
How Can I Get Two Google Voice Phone Numbers?
You will be able to use two Google Voice phone numbers by using an original phone number as a secondary line for a one-time payment of $20. You will be able to receive calls and texts from both of the phone numbers, but all outbound calls and texts will only be sent from your main Google Voice phone number.
Is Google Voice Service Expensive?
Google Voice is a Voice over Internet Protocol that is very affordable and free to use as long as you are communicating with Google Voice phone numbers or other US numbers. Only international calls require charges but it is free to call and send text messages to US-only numbers.
Can I Permanently Delete my Google Voice Phone Number?
Yes, you can delete your Google Voice phone number. You will however get 90 days before it completely takes effect in case you want to get back the phone number. Afterwards, the phone number will likely be assigned to another person and you will not have access to it anymore.
Conclusion
Google Voice is a very affordable and useful VoIP service that allows you to combine your different phone numbers and forward phone calls and messages to your various different devices at a time. This service is productive because you can access all your numbers without having to worry about missing calls because one of your devices isn’t near. However, there might be a certain situation where you would want to move to another carrier or service and you do not want to change your phone number in the process.
This way, you can unlock your Google Voice phone number and port it to the carrier or VoIP service you intend to use. You can unlock your Google Voice phone number by following the detailed processes explained in this article.
