Over WiFi, all of this does not involve your carrier, goes entirely over the Internet, and can be done WITHOUT a SIM card or a calling plan subscription in the case of CDMA. Basically, this gives you a phone number, and unlimited calling in North America with a data-only plan, or even without any cell phone plan (as long as you have WIFI coverage). You also get call-waiting, caller ID, and Voice Mail totally free. You can imagine the possibilities!
If you plan to use this outside the United States, and you are in the States, set this up BEFORE you leave, as it makes setting up the Google Voice account easier. If you are outside the States, look for other guides that cover how to set up Google Voice from outside the USA (you need a US IP address).
As a prerequisite to this guide, you need to either follow my guide for getting a free Sipgate number OR follow my guide for getting a free IPKall number..
SETTING UP:
1) Sign up for a Google Voice account if you don't already have one.
2) Follow ONE of my guide for obtaining a Sipgate number OR guide for obtaining a free IPKall number. Make a note of your Sipgate or IPKall phone number. Let's call this your FW number.
(5 - 10 minutes)
3) Add and confirm your FW number in Google Voice, and tell Google Voice to forward to this number when it receives calls (important). If you've followed one of my two guides in step (2), then your phone is ready to receive the confirmation call from Google Voice (for your FW phone).
(3 - 5 minutes).
4) Download the Google Voice Callback FREE app by Xinlu from the Android market on your phone, and set it up with your Google Voice account. Please note that the official Google Voice application is not capable of doing what this guide describes. Once you launch GV Callback, you will need to go through a set-up process.
a) Enter your Google Voice username and password on the first screen.
b) For your callback number, from the list, select the "FW number" you set up in step (2) above.
c) On the third screen, select whether and when you want to do callback, and for your convenience, you can even add a homescreen shortcut to toggle callback.
d) Click "Done".
(2 - 3 minutes)
5) If you are using Sipdroid, optionally you can make Sipdroid use another ringtone in the advanced settings, in order to distinguish incoming SIP calls from incoming regular cell phone calls.
(0.5 - 1 minute)
NOTE: If you have a mobile data plan, you can tell Sipdroid, CSipSimple, and Linphone to connect even over your wireless provider's data plan (3G), but *beware of potentially very high data charges*, since voip can be very data intensive. In my personal tests, a high quality codec consumes about 1MB per minute.
TESTING YOUR SETUP:
1) Make sure that the built-in SIP, Sipdroid, CSipSimple or Linphone is registered to whichever service you picked in step (2) above. For the built-in SIP, it should read "Receiving calls" under your SIP accounts in Settings->Call settings->Accounts. For the other apps, you can check the top-left corner of your screen. For Sipdroid, there should be a green dot there. For CSipSimple, there is a black icon that has a phone handle and "ip" in it. For Linphone, there should be an orange icon there.
2) Now, we make sure Google Voice Callback FREE is forwarding to your FW number (see step 2) properly. First of all, make sure that in the Google Voice settings, you have disabled forwarding to your cell phone (Thanks for your comment, Kristin). Now, call your Google Voice number and see if your cellphone rings through the SIP application (for Sipdroid, the call icon should be teal in color, *not green*). If you performed step (5) above, you should also hear the different ringtone now. You can pick up the cell phone to make sure audio works both ways by talking to yourself (sounds crazy, I know!).
At this point if you are wondering why you did all of this, here it is. If you dial a number through GV Callback, which we installed in step (4) above, you get an alternative Dialer, Contacts, etc. To cut things short, let me outline how to make a free incoming and outgoing calls to the USA and Canada.
MAKING OUTGOING CALLS:
0) If you have installed the toggle widget on your desktop, flip it to enable Google Voice Callback.
1) Select a contact your contacts, and call that contact. If you haven't configured Google Voice Callback FREE to always do callback, you will be presented with a dialog asking you how to complete the action. Select "Use Google Voice Callback".
2) Instead of the expected outgoing call, you should receive an *incoming* call from your Google Voice number. This happens because we set the callback number in GV to your "FW number" in step (4) above. Pick up this incoming call.
3) At this point, Google Voice's servers call the contact that you selected and bridges the two calls (the one to you and the one to your contact).
RECEIVING INCOMING CALLS:
1) For the purposes of this guide, please make sure that in your settings, Google Voice is *only* forwarding to your FW number. When everything is working, you can experiment with forwarding to other numbers as well.
2) When you have data coverage, and your SIP application is able to receive calls to your FW number (see the guides in step 2), if somebody calls your Google Voice number, you will receive the call through SIP, through data, free of charge, daytime minutes, roaming or any other such nonsense.
If using WiFi, don't forget to stay within wifi coverage during a call, since the incoming call is coming over the Internet. Most importantly, this works with your SIM card removed, or with a SIM card from any country in your phone! Try it if you don't believe it!
Long distance to destinations other than USA and Canada will charge your Google Voice credit, which can be recharged any time. Also, the Google Voice rates to worldwide destinations can be accessed by clicking "Rates" near where your balance is displayed in your Google Voice account (lower left).
This guide should work even if you are outside USA, as long as you already have your Google Voice account set up. For users outside USA, use any one of hundreds of guides to set up your GV account.
Enjoy, and please post your experiences!
SETTING UP:
1) Sign up for a Google Voice account if you don't already have one.
2) Follow ONE of my guide for obtaining a Sipgate number OR guide for obtaining a free IPKall number. Make a note of your Sipgate or IPKall phone number. Let's call this your FW number.
(5 - 10 minutes)
3) Add and confirm your FW number in Google Voice, and tell Google Voice to forward to this number when it receives calls (important). If you've followed one of my two guides in step (2), then your phone is ready to receive the confirmation call from Google Voice (for your FW phone).
(3 - 5 minutes).
4) Download the Google Voice Callback FREE app by Xinlu from the Android market on your phone, and set it up with your Google Voice account. Please note that the official Google Voice application is not capable of doing what this guide describes. Once you launch GV Callback, you will need to go through a set-up process.
a) Enter your Google Voice username and password on the first screen.
b) For your callback number, from the list, select the "FW number" you set up in step (2) above.
c) On the third screen, select whether and when you want to do callback, and for your convenience, you can even add a homescreen shortcut to toggle callback.
d) Click "Done".
(2 - 3 minutes)
5) If you are using Sipdroid, optionally you can make Sipdroid use another ringtone in the advanced settings, in order to distinguish incoming SIP calls from incoming regular cell phone calls.
(0.5 - 1 minute)
NOTE: If you have a mobile data plan, you can tell Sipdroid, CSipSimple, and Linphone to connect even over your wireless provider's data plan (3G), but *beware of potentially very high data charges*, since voip can be very data intensive. In my personal tests, a high quality codec consumes about 1MB per minute.
TESTING YOUR SETUP:
1) Make sure that the built-in SIP, Sipdroid, CSipSimple or Linphone is registered to whichever service you picked in step (2) above. For the built-in SIP, it should read "Receiving calls" under your SIP accounts in Settings->Call settings->Accounts. For the other apps, you can check the top-left corner of your screen. For Sipdroid, there should be a green dot there. For CSipSimple, there is a black icon that has a phone handle and "ip" in it. For Linphone, there should be an orange icon there.
2) Now, we make sure Google Voice Callback FREE is forwarding to your FW number (see step 2) properly. First of all, make sure that in the Google Voice settings, you have disabled forwarding to your cell phone (Thanks for your comment, Kristin). Now, call your Google Voice number and see if your cellphone rings through the SIP application (for Sipdroid, the call icon should be teal in color, *not green*). If you performed step (5) above, you should also hear the different ringtone now. You can pick up the cell phone to make sure audio works both ways by talking to yourself (sounds crazy, I know!).
At this point if you are wondering why you did all of this, here it is. If you dial a number through GV Callback, which we installed in step (4) above, you get an alternative Dialer, Contacts, etc. To cut things short, let me outline how to make a free incoming and outgoing calls to the USA and Canada.
MAKING OUTGOING CALLS:
0) If you have installed the toggle widget on your desktop, flip it to enable Google Voice Callback.
1) Select a contact your contacts, and call that contact. If you haven't configured Google Voice Callback FREE to always do callback, you will be presented with a dialog asking you how to complete the action. Select "Use Google Voice Callback".
2) Instead of the expected outgoing call, you should receive an *incoming* call from your Google Voice number. This happens because we set the callback number in GV to your "FW number" in step (4) above. Pick up this incoming call.
3) At this point, Google Voice's servers call the contact that you selected and bridges the two calls (the one to you and the one to your contact).
RECEIVING INCOMING CALLS:
1) For the purposes of this guide, please make sure that in your settings, Google Voice is *only* forwarding to your FW number. When everything is working, you can experiment with forwarding to other numbers as well.
2) When you have data coverage, and your SIP application is able to receive calls to your FW number (see the guides in step 2), if somebody calls your Google Voice number, you will receive the call through SIP, through data, free of charge, daytime minutes, roaming or any other such nonsense.
If using WiFi, don't forget to stay within wifi coverage during a call, since the incoming call is coming over the Internet. Most importantly, this works with your SIM card removed, or with a SIM card from any country in your phone! Try it if you don't believe it!
Long distance to destinations other than USA and Canada will charge your Google Voice credit, which can be recharged any time. Also, the Google Voice rates to worldwide destinations can be accessed by clicking "Rates" near where your balance is displayed in your Google Voice account (lower left).
This guide should work even if you are outside USA, as long as you already have your Google Voice account set up. For users outside USA, use any one of hundreds of guides to set up your GV account.
Enjoy, and please post your experiences!
Posts
I can't get sipdroid to register using my gizmo5 info. Do I just use my gizmo username and password and their server: proxy01.sipphone.com and port as 5060? those are the settings I'm using, and its not working. Any help in registering sipdroid with gizmo in this issue is appreciated.
ReplyDeleteExtraneous: Sipdroid, Csipsimple, Linphone + Google Voice Callback = Calls To Usa And Canada, And Cheap Calls To The World >>>>> Download Now
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Extraneous: Sipdroid, Csipsimple, Linphone + Google Voice Callback = Calls To Usa And Canada, And Cheap Calls To The World >>>>> Download Full
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Download the latest sipdroid from the sipdroid website, first of all.
ReplyDeleteThe settings I use are exactly as you said.
gizmo5 username/pw
proxy01.sipphone.com
port 5060
protocol UDP (I think TCP doesn't work)
make sure you've selected Use WLAN below
You can also try using your gizmo 1747xxxxxxx number instead of your gizmo username! I actually use that in another case, and it also registers with it without issues.
Please let me know if this helped! Also, you can try out your settings with a softphone like Ekiga (for Linux), which works really well with gizmo.
i have set up my android with sipdroid and for about 2 days i was making and receiving calls, but now i could only make calls...have any idea whats wrong? proxy01.sipphone.com / 1-747-xxx-xxxx and PW. port 5060...help me
ReplyDeletefirst of all, tell me whether your comment pertains to my article. Are you talking about making calls using Google Voice and Gizmo or just using Gizmo?
ReplyDeleteIf the latter, then it sounds like you are not registered to Gizmo properly. I actually use my Gizmo username, not my phone number to authenticate to the server.
If you are having problems using Google voice, then it's a different matter. Please clarify!
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI was wandering if it's possible to setup a phone without the cell phone plan, using only Sipdroid?
I have Wifi (say like in a cafe), and I want my android to use that for my calls.
Your blogs seems to be the only resource that comes the closest to what I am looking for.
Here is the complete post about this:
http://androidforums.com/android-news-talk/8041-possible-use-phone-without-phone-plan.html
Thanks...
Hi Andriy,
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely yes, you can do this completely without a SIM card.
If you have a WIFI connection, Sipdroid will ring due to the incoming call from Gizmo. There is *nothing* that goes over your cell phone line in this set up.
If you have no WIFI connection, the GV app will simply not be able to register the call with Google Voice, and you will not get a call back. If the GV app looks like it's just sitting there, hit the home button to get out of it (something I discovered).
Please post your experiences, both if successful or unsuccessful with my instructions, and I will help you further if the need arises.
Cheers!
Iordan - I just read this thread with a lot of interest. This is very similar to what I wanted to see if was possible but my situation is little different. I work in a remote office and was assigned a cell phone by my company. I have very spotty cell signal here. However, I do have a good broadband internet connection here. Is it possible to set up an Ipod Touch to do the same thing here, completely bypassing the cell system. I was of the impression that I might be able to use the Bose Earphones with the speaker in them for voice transmission.I have a Google Voice account. Your thoughts?
ReplyDeleteHi Mark,
ReplyDeleteYes you can. Do everything as I describe in this article with two exceptions
1) Instead of installing Sipdroid on Android, install a SIP application on your Itouch:
http://lifehacker.com/378511/turn-your-ipod-touch-into-an-iphone
2) Then, instead of installing a GV app on Android, you need to go to:
http://www.google.com/voice/m
where you can request a call-back instead of requesting a call-back through the GV app.
Cheers, and I hope this works for you! It would be nice if you could post back with your results.
Iordan
Is Gizmo5 going to charge for something? Or is this all TOTALLY free?
ReplyDeleteSo far, they have charged nothing -- it is TOTALLY free. Also, I don't see them planning to charge anything in the future.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like to them, this call is considered a call within their network - as if you are calling other Gizmo5 numbers. They are not the one ultimately making the PSTN call, google voice is. Hence, their cost is just the data it takes to transport your voice, and they must think that it's worth it to provide this service and get customers who may use other paid services that they offer.
Iordan, thanks for the quick response. I was confused because it was hard to tell what Gizmo5 charged for and what they didn't. I thought this article might have been outdated. Thanks for the clarification.
ReplyDeleteThis is exactly what I need for international travel to make calls over WiFi back to the US.
One last question...I assume all outgoing and incoming calls would work just fine? How about callerID does that function normally? My main use would be when I go away on vacation (outside of the United Stated) but need to call back to the United States without paying for the call (assuming I have WiFi connectivity). As an added bonus if someone called me from the United States if I was in range of WiFi it would be great if my phone rang.
Hey,
ReplyDeleteYes on all counts. All calls work, CallerID works, phone will ring if somebody calls.
To make an outgoing call, you have to make sure you are initiating the call through the GV application (the contact list that shows up when you run GV). Don't just go into the regular contact list and hit the green button.
For the phone to ring, you MUST put a check-mark next to your Gizmo number in your google voice preferences for it to forward the call to Gizmo. You must also see that Sipdroid shows a green dot in your status bar (not yellow or red), meaning that it has successfully registered with Gizmo5.
You can do this even without a SIM card, just to be doubly sure you don't make a mistake and make a regular GSM call (and pay through your nose).
My advice is to give all this a test before you go traveling (even take your SIM card out).
Also, please do post back if my article is missing some step, since I wrote all this from memory.
Iordan, will do. I should receive my phone Friday, or Monday at the latest. I had the iPhone and loved it but hated the Apple lockdown. Switched to the Palm Pre w/Sprint and I love it but hate the lack of apps. I'm ready to go Google. But I wanted to really put the phone through it's paces this time. So when Sprint releases their HTC Hero I'll probably buy it. But for now the only Android phone I can test is the MyTouch 3G from T-Mobile for 20 days without paying a cancellation fee. That's where I'll see if I'm ready to make the switch. I've dumped too much money in these phones hoping to find the perfect unit.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info, I'll be doing plenty of testing and post back results and any steps you may have missed (if you missed any).
Thanks for the info -- worked perfectly for me. One thing worth mentioning is that touch tones seem to work perfectly with Sipdroid. This is a big deal for Google Voice users, because you need to send a touch tone to answer each incoming GV call. I don't know how many years Fring and Nokia VOIP client users have been begging for touch tone support that works (I know because I was one of them)... but right out of the box, Sipdroid supports this perfectly in my tests (receiving a GV call, and accessing my UCLA voice mail via about a billion touch tone commands). Finally a VOIP client that actually works like a phone, on a phone!
ReplyDeleteLookin' good, Android!!
Hello, I cannot complete registration of Sipdroid on my G1, it is asking for network credentials and I don't know what to enter into this first screen.
ReplyDeleteAlso, what about Evan Charlton's app called GV as an alternative to Google Voice?
Please provide more details about actually installing Sipdroid onto the G1 phone, it would help me and perhaps others!
Gary Brant in New York with much gratitude!
I am not sure what you mean by "network credentials". I have never been asked for such a thing. For starters, make sure you are doing this over WIFI at least initially, not over your provider's data network. This will probably make things easier.
ReplyDeleteYour second comment baffles me. The whole article is about the GV application by Evan Charlton, and not about the Google Voice application by Google :)
Cheers!
My mistake about GV, sorry for that!
ReplyDeleteOK, now it's starting to make sense, it's proxy01.sipphone.com setting ("Called Party Address).
Second point, according to this XDA Developer's forum: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=516861
The version of Sipdroid in the Android market is "lite" and one must use ADB to install the "full" program .apk file from Sipdroid, which I plan to do today.
Most important question, I got a great Google Voice phone number tying into my art gallery business, and want both all incoming and outgoing (from the G1 mobile) to show this number in recipient's caller ID, will that work with this call-back system?
Your help very much appreciated, this is truly amazing *(your work!).
Thanks loads,
Gary Brant in New York
One other question, is GV Dialer of any use to your system, since it is free anyway from the Android Market?
ReplyDeleteThanks loads,
Gary Brant in New York
About "lite" vs. "full" version of Sipdroid, the "lite" one works perfectly, so don't bother installing the full one if it isn't necessary.
ReplyDeleteYes, you get the google voice caller ID on outgoing calls, but don't take my word for it, try it!
I haven't used GV dialer, so I can't comment on whether it's useful for this system. However, what I can tell you is that this is a complete solution, requiring no extra software.
Cheers!
Hello again!
ReplyDeleteThe "full" version of Sipdroid according to the XDA Developer's site allows 2G/EDGE network to be used, critical for me because I have an unlocked G1 Dev Phone on the AT&T network in NYC.
If you can confirm the "lite" Sipdroid works with 2G, then I will download and install from the market.
Let me know, thanks again!
Gary
P.S. Is there any need to be logged into Gizmo5 on my PC for the whole system to work properly, and having it running?
Gary, I can't comment on whether 2G/EDGE really works, because I don't use my provider's data plan. However, with the "lite" version, I have the option to use 2G/EDGE NOT grayed out, and selectable. Hence, I would imagine your information is rather old. I remember a while ago only the "full" version had this option, but I think this is long gone. Check how fresh those comments that you're reading are.
ReplyDeleteI really don't see what the harm in simply installing from the market and running it is. First try and get it working with WIFI, and once you know *that* works, just turn on this option, turn wifi off, restart your phone (just to be absolutely sure), and try it.
Also, your PC has absolutely nothing to do with this, and Gizmo most certainly doesn't have to be running there.
A couple further comments after playing with Sipdroid a while:
ReplyDelete- Sipdroid works well, but I notice that it's sensitive to wifi traffic in my apartment (i.e. when I accessed a webpage on my laptop, my sipdroid call quality suddenly became terrible.
- GV began to annoy me, because it began buzzing me every 30 minutes for ancient voicemails, and because there is no way to turn it off. Even after I switched it to Check Voicemail Never, I still got the annoying flashing LED on my G1 telling me "You've got voicemail!". GV seems to run constantly and was using up my battery. Furthermore, GV gives you no way to exit the application, or a setting to make it stop running when you don't want it. I found the only way to stop it from running constantly was to uninstall it. I can get the exact same functionality by just pointing my browser at the Google Voice website, so GV seemed an unnecessary annoyance.
I am very pleased to report that your system is working 100% perfectly, I followed your directions and all is well with my G1 Developer's phone, unlocked on AT&T network in NYC, GV application, and Sipdroid installed from the market.
ReplyDeleteI have only tried so far on my WIFI connection here at home/office, next test outdoors trying
on AT&T EDGE(2G) network.
This is fantastic!
A few questions, how does SMS work within GV, are we still "off network" and therefore not using AT&T which charges for each SMS?
Second question, what about long distance outgoing to Canada or Europe, is it possible?
Let me know, I think you are a GENIUS!
My best wishes,
Gary Brant in NY
1) SMS is "off network".
ReplyDelete2) Long distance to Canada is FREE!
Long distance to other destinations is possible with credit in Google voice. You can see the rates that Google will charge you by following the "Rates" link beside the dollar balance at the bottom left of the side bar.
3) Thanks for the praise, but I'm far from genius :).
Cheers!
SMS is "off network" where is this setting made, I just sent a test SMS message, it says it came from my google voice number and was made through the google voice interface somehow?
ReplyDeleteAgain, I don't want to be charged by "Ma Bell" for SMS!
You've turned my G1 phone into a "dream phone"!
I'll test outside with 2G network and see if I can make a call through your system this afternoon, and report back.
Thank you!
Gary
1) SMS messages must be sent through the GV application to be "off the network".
ReplyDelete2) Regular SMS messages are still sent through your provider and will cost you $$, so send only through GV
3) There is no setting to be set anywhere.
4) The SMS messages are sent through the Google Voice website, but behind the scenes (hence data is necessary for them to go out).
Cheers.
Hello again,
ReplyDeleteI can confirm flawless operation outdoors with AT&T's 2G/EDGE network in New York City with my unlocked G1 Development Phone and your setup.
I will test for several weeks and if stable, I may even give up my second "voice" mobile, and make the G1 my universal handset.
Thanks to your guidance, of course!
My best wishes,
Gary Brant in NY
Just wanted to say i followed all directions and everything worked perfectly.. thanks so much for your info.. i am loving this g1!!!
ReplyDelete@infoevolution - if you find that network traffic affects your calls, you may want to see if your router offers QoS (Quality of Service), which would allow you to prioritize your calls (either by protocol, port, or host, at least in the snazzy Tomato firmware on my WRT54GS).
ReplyDeleteHello, It appears that GV no longer works after the Android 1.6 update.
ReplyDeleteI wonder what to do now, since Sipdroid and the official Google Voice app don't seem to interact together either.
Thanks for your thoughts.
Hello,
ReplyDeleteI knew it must be too good to be true.
I just got my wireless bill from AT&T for my G1 with your setup, which I thought was using the SIP client to dial out, and in:
ummary of
Usage Charges
Minutes Included In Plan Minutes Used Billed Minutes Billed
Rate Total Charge
BM BBRYUNL
Daytime 31 31 0.40 12.40
Nwknd 2 2 0.40
So, what am I doing wrong? I obviously don't want to pay 40 cents a MINUTE for the privilege of using Sipdroid and GV on my G1.
Please help, thank you.
Gary Brant in New York
One more thought, AT&T just introduced a "free" faves plan (similar to T-Mobile's) that allows unlimited calling to certain family and friend numbers.
ReplyDeleteWould this help the situation?
I still don't understand what went wrong with the "perfect" SIP+GV setup on the G1 with a data-only plan.
Thank you!
Gary Brant in New York
FYI, one 23 minute call to what I thought was FREE to Canada cost me $16.00!
ReplyDeleteOuch!
Gary Brant in New York
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteTo Gary Brant:
ReplyDeleteIt seems as though you are using the official Google Voice app to try to accomplish what I'm describing in my guide, whereas you should be using the GV app by Evan Charlton. I have no other explanation for your issues. Perhaps you should pull out your SIM card, and try doing what you are doing without it in your phone.
I spent the day searching for something like this and after finding your article it worked like a charm! I can now use my G2 to make and recieve free calls !!!! One question though. Will it work over a 3G connection ?
ReplyDeleteI'm using the GV app on Android 1.5, I will also try to use the phone w/o the sim card in it, but that's really going to make the solution unworkable and impractical, don't you think?
ReplyDeleteThanks again,
Gary
No, I don't think this will make the solution impractical, because this is just a test, Gary. I thought it would be obvious.
ReplyDeleteWhat I do think is that it will eliminate the possibility of you making a mistake and dialing using your carrier :D. Once you've established how calling with GV works, you can go back to keeping the SIM card in the phone. When you have the SIM card back in the phone, make sure that ANY calls that you THINK are going through VOIP have a TEAL colored call icon at the top-left of the screen and NOT a green one.
The interesting thing is that you still think this doesn't work despite all the other positive responses I have to my article. In fact, you are almost positive I've made the mistake. Please consider the possibility that it was your own mistake that cost you all that money. Try again, be patient, and good luck.
To cyberwebworks: We were informed by another user of this method that this works perfectly over 3G - read all the comments above.
ReplyDeleteCheers!
I got my HTC Sprint Hero working as described by this article. I then uninstalled GV to find that outbound calls didn't work through Gizmo. I installed Google Voice app instead with "this phone's number" set to my gizmo SIP number (like GV had been too). I could make outbound calls again through wifi and they rang in as my google number. Traffic appears to be WIFI. So far I'm not seeing what GV gets you over the Google Voice app.
ReplyDeleteHi Paul, this is very, very good news, and it seems to correlate what Evan Charlton is saying on his site. I haven't had a chance to try it out, but if what you're saying is true, then I will definitely do so and alter the article to use the official Google Voice application.
ReplyDeleteCan anybody else verify this? Also, Paul, if you don't mind, can you (for the peace of mind of the users of this setup) try this with your SIM card removed, just to absolutely confirm that the carrier is not utilized? :)
Cheers and many thanks for your post,
Iordan
Hello again (answer to Paul and anybody else following this). I installed the official Google Voice App, and removed my SIM card to try to make calls entirely over WIFI. The result is that it doesn't work. The official Google Voice app *still uses the carrier's phone network* to start the call. So, if you are overseas, this method may be risky in terms of charges. The other problem with using the official Google Voice application is that you can only use your android phone this way if you are using a SIM card whose number is added to your Google Voice settings.
ReplyDeleteSo, the scenario is such: If you are traveling in Thailand and have a local SIM card with a Thai number, your phone will not be able to initiate the callback to your Gizmo number in the first place, because you cannot add your Thai number to your Google Voice settings! Apply this scenario to any other possibilities :).
having trouble working this with the UK vodafone tattoo - I set up my google voice account in the states, so I am fine there, and despite it being annoying that I can't get a donut GV app to run natively, I would be calling the states infrequently enough to just use the google voice web app. My real barrier then seems to be that sipdroid just won't start - I downloaded the latest version, installed it and all I get is "called party address," where I have put in my gizmo5 username, number, proxy01.sipphone.com, anything I could think of - but it just always says "No suitable data network available", despite my being connected to Wi-fi, and a 3g network. I have looked at various forums and discussion lists, but I can't understand why it isn't connecting. any suggestions?
ReplyDeleteKhawaji: I am not sure how to help you with this (relatively unrelated) problem you are having. If Sipdroid is telling you it can't find a suitable data network, you may have turned off connecting via WIFI in the settings of Sipdroid. Go through every option in the settings until you see where it allows you to configure what kind of data networks it is permitted to use, and make sure WIFI is turned on. Also, make sure you can browse on the network you are connected to.
ReplyDeleteFinally, make sure that if you are running a very new or very old version of the Android OS (1.1, or 1.6), Sipdroid is fully compatible with it.
For anybody following this blog, I'd like to point out that Android 1.6 doesn't seem to break GV, and you are free up upgrade. I tested it myself, without problems. I've also updated the blog itself to reflect the new information.
ReplyDeletePlease report your experiences!
The HTC Hero has no SIM card to remove. I've tried disabling various phone options to achieve that, but I don't think that is as convincing for everyone here as a test without a SIM card.
ReplyDeleteI encourage you to try the Google Voice app again, but this time configure the sipdroid preferred call type.
The sipdroid "preferred call type" can tell sipdroid to call without the carrier. Post-fixing + to the number dialed reverses the setting. With Sprint, all mobile-to-mobile calls are free. For example, I add + to my wife's mobile number to call through Sprint (instead of SIP) so that a call to her doesn't use family minutes. I default to SIP though, and I don't think the SIP originated calls involve the carrier once sipdroid is configured to avoid the carrier.
Is there a presumption that unless there is a callback to sipdroid on your phone (from Google, originated from GV app) then the call originated through the carrier? SIP is not so limited.
Hi Paul,
ReplyDeleteWhat you are describing may work if you have credit in your Gizmo account. What you are describing is triggering the callback by dialing through Gizmo (using Sipdroid) instead of through the Carrier. So, Google Voice sould see your Gizmo number and call you back on it. I'm not sure of two things:
1) If this deducts anything from your Gizmo credit.
2) Whether it's worth it to deal with the added complication of having all calls go out through Google Voice if your intention is for the opposite.
I will try to test this. In the meanwhile, if somebody has already done such a test and can verify that this works without a SIM card, it would be quite nice if you can confirm it.
Cheers!
Iordan, thanks so much for posting this guide. I've got it pretty much set up on my t-mobile g1 phone (sipdroid is having trouble using my wi-fi here at home, but it works on 3g. I will test it out on other wi-fi networks when I go to Canada this week).
ReplyDeleteIn step 6, I would advise users to make sure that they do not have Google Voice set to forward to the mobile (if you do, the test call could either go through your voice service or through sipdroid via wifi, and if you can't tell green from teal you may not know if you have set things up properly). In fact, if you will be trying to use this method to avoid roaming charges while spending time internationally (my goal), you might consider turning off forwarding to the mobile entirely, and setting the caller ID (in Google Voice) to your GV #-- this seems like a way to confirm that the call is not going over voice service.
Khawaji-- I think your problem may be that you are not getting to the settings menu at all. When I open sipdroid, I get the screen to which you are referring. I need to touch my menu key on the g1 to get a settings option (then I can enter the other info).
Thanks again!
Kristin
Thanks Kristin, I've updated the guide with your suggestions. It's really great when the readers can contribute to this work. If anybody else has good ideas about how to improve this guide, do not hesitate. Also, for anybody following this, I also remembered to put a nice intro in the guide, which actually underlines the power of this setup - the fact that it basically gives you a completely free incoming/outgoing phone line over data that can be used anywhere in the world as if you never stepped out of North America. I don't know if it was necessary, but it's nice to lay things out at the beginning.
ReplyDeleteCheers!
Iordan. You are right that the config I described used gizmo credits. I don't mind paying few cents per minute for outbound PSTN. But I kept looking...
ReplyDeleteI tried many combinations, including adding a pbxes.org SIP forwarder to the mix. That was a complicated mess that worked on outbound but dropped inbound calls in the first second. I ended up going back to GV out of convenience when I want a totally free call and don't mind waiting 30s to connect.
Consider what GV app does. It calls you google number, pauses, presents your voicemail pin, presses 2, dials a callback number, hangs up. You can do that from the normal dialer. GV app just makes it easier.
It would be nice to figure out how to avoid the voicemail delays and stay fully on SIP for outbound PSTN through Google. Google PSTN is free to anywhere I'd call. Some people mentioned success using port 5061 to do that, but later responses said that no longer works.
I appreciate your post. I now have the ability to call completely voip when in an area with poor cellular service.
Hey Paul,
ReplyDeleteJust one correction - the GV app does not delay because it goes through the voice mail, rather, it delays because it is waiting for Google Voice to perform a callback.
The voice mail PIN you input in the settings is for the GV app to be able to playback your Google Voice voice messages for you directly from the User Interface.
Iordan
Just tried the setup on a different network, and I'm still having trouble getting sipdroid to work properly over wifi (which I want to use rather than 3g as I'm roaming internationally). I decided to try GUAVA, which appears to be working beautifully (although I'm pretty concerned about the security of their Google password transmission - I'm not sure if that's still a problem). I plan to keep trying to get sipdroid to work (a pain since I apparently can't have both sipdroid and GUAVA on the android at once). Thanks again for the posting-- it's the most thorough and clear I've seen on the subject.
ReplyDeleteKristin
Hi Kristin,
ReplyDeleteOut of the hundreds of WIFI hotspots that I've used with Sipdroid, I've had problems registering with just one. Some really old and badly implemented router firewalls can also cause one-way audio problems even if registration works fine.
Are you experiencing trouble registering with Sipdroid no matter where you go, or are you having trouble with a particular WIFI hotspot?
Or is it that you are experiencing one-way audio?
Are you registering directly to Gizmo5 or are you going through some other service?
I am not sure that most other Sipdroid users are feeling your pain, so there must be something different in your situation.
Cheers!
Iordan
Iordan,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the thoughts-- I will definitely have to keep trying. I wasn't able to get Sipdroid to register on my home wifi (with WPA2, which I know some users had trouble with). I am loathe to get my partner to change this or modify settings yet as we have many devices on this and everything else is working perfectly.
The other wifi I tried is WEP and resulted in a different problem-- I registered fine but Google Voice suddenly could not call me back with my SIM card out. Perhaps my problem is due to removal of the SIM card (which I did to make sure I don't accidentally use my voice service and get charged for roaming) -- it says that the call has been registered but it hangs when I wait for the callback.
Thanks again for your help-- I will keep trying different things (your last post makes me think I will have more luck if I try to change settings or just use it with the SIM card, although I'm not sure why that would matter as it seems to sign me in to Google Voice just fine). I will post back if I find something that I think would help anyone else.
Kristin
Okay, whatever was happening yesterday with the Sipdroid setup is fine now (may have been a temporary Google Voice problem, although I tried it many times, or maybe the reinstall fixed something I did incorrectly). So now I am all set up for wi-fi only calls on my android phone with no SIM card (somehow, when I am out of the country, it makes me feel that extra bit safer from roaming charges). I think that this was just so easy that it seems too good to be true!
ReplyDeleteThanks again for the guide!
Kristin
WOW .. I'm impressed. I've been working for days trying to figure out how to make a voice call over wifi on a Sprint HTC Hero. And after following the instructions here exactly, both incoming and outgoing work. I haven't done any thorough testing yet .. but compared to everything else I've tried, at least this works!
ReplyDeleteThanks much .. and I'll get back with experiences.
Sam
I can receive calls via sipdroid just fine but cannot call out using the GV app. It tries, but after about 15 seconds just ends the call. I must be doing something wrong but not sure what. The call from GV has my google voice number, some commas, 5250,2, the number I'm calling. Does that look right?
ReplyDeleteGreat job. One question, why is it that for incoming calls Google Voice can only be forwarding to my Gizmo account? I regularly use Google Voice to forward to multiple numbers, will this set up not work for me?
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Jim: I have no idea what you mean by "the call from GV has my google voice number, some commas, 5250,2,the number I'm calling".
ReplyDeleteJordan: The scope of this guide was to show you how to get this running properly without adding any complications. You can forward to multiple numbers if you like, but since I haven't tested this and can't help with potential problems, I haven't included it in the guide.
Makes sense. Thanks again.
ReplyDeleteI just dropped by to say a big THANK YOU. I got this working on my Sprint Hero. Also, it doesn't seem to work on Gizmo accounts that have an "Area 775" number set up.
ReplyDeleteGizmo5 Has Been Acquired by Google
ReplyDeletehttp://googlevoiceblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/google-welcomes-gizmo5.html
Sou:
ReplyDeleteI saw that yesterday, and honestly, I don't think it will affect this service. In fact, it may guarantee its existence :).
Cheers!
Google's acquisition of Gizmo5 is likely a Good Thing for those of us with accounts, but note that they're not issuing any new accounts at the moment.
ReplyDeleteToby: Thanks for the heads-up on Gizmo not issuing new accounts. I'll update my blog with this information.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Google will make Gizmo5 a better service if anything, so in the long run, this is good news.
In the short run, for people who don't have Gizmo accounts, SIGN UP TO BE NOTIFIED when Google releases the Gizmo5 service again HERE:
http://www.google.com/gizmo5/
and come back to this post when you get the notification to get yourself setup with GV + Sipdroid.
Cheers!
Wow, how did I miss this by 6 days. I've been looking at your blog for over a month and finally just got an android phone yesterday and was ready to set this up. Never saw this coming!!! Any other substitutes for Gizmo5?
ReplyDeleteI signed up for info, and thanks for all the hard work. I'll be looking forward to the setup as soon as possible.
Axle: Unfortunately, there is no substitute, as Gizmo is the only VOIP service GV forwards and does call-back to.
ReplyDeleteNot to worry though, because Google will do to Gizmo as they did to Grand Central. They will re-release it to a much larger audience.
Cheers!
Thank You, I got this working on my Sprint HTC Hero. I use it when I am in my house and cell service is poor.
ReplyDeleteI do have a question though...When I leave the house, I would like all my calls to go though Sprint...Unless I'm missing something, to get that to happen I have been doing the following:
1. Log onto Google Voice settings and change the phone that Google Voice forwards to from Gizmo to Mobile.
2. Open up Google Voice app and change the phone number in the your callback number section from my Gizmo number to my Mobile number.
3. Open up Sipdroid settings and make sure that both wi-fi and 3g/EDGE are unchecked.
If I take those three steps I can the make calls using Sprint and have my Google Voice number show up on caller ID...When I return to my house, I reverse the process.
So, my question is...Is there an easier way? Maybe I'm taking too many steps...What does the preferred call type setting in Sipdroid do? Thanks for any advice.
In the beginning of you guide, you mention that with this setup you have "call-waiting" but I don't. When someone calls me while I'm on the line, they just get a busy signal... Anyone else experiencing this? Thanks
ReplyDeleteFho: I have verified callerID works with a hardware ATA serving as the Gizmo client rather than Sipdroid.
ReplyDeleteSo you may very well be right, but the problem is not that GV doesn't provide call waiting, but that Sipdroid doesn't support it. If somebody else can confirm Fho's suspicion before I get a chance to test it, please post, and I will update the guide.
Jordan, while waiting on Gizmo5, an alternative that works the same is sipgate & sipsorcery. Completely free in and out calling
ReplyDeleteIordan,
ReplyDeleteI thought I configured things the way you described. I'm using the alternate GV app (still available, out of development). I set up SIPdroid. Sipdroid shows up as a greenish dot, in addition I get the notification of "registered". Using GV, I dial my land line number. I get a message that GV is registering the call and then another quick message saying "Waiting for Google Voice to call back". Even though I still have the green dot, SIPDroid never "picks up". I tried selecting all the auto-answer options in SIPDroid but that still doesn't work. 10 minutes later (my screen timeout), it still hasn't picked up. Unanswered calls show in my Gizmo logs. SIPDroid is set to have the alternate ringtone and if I call directly into my google voice number from the land line I can hear the ring tone. But, when I'm waiting for GV to connect to SIPDroid there's no tone.
I believe that the GV app by Evan Charlton is broken now. I had it working last month, but no it never connects. Whenever I dial out with the GV app, it waits endlessly to connect.
ReplyDeleteIf anyone can verify that their GV app is still working or broken, please post here!
I have been using the browser to initiate call backs from Google Voice. That's working. Today I installed GV app by Evan Charlton and it does not appear to work. I see the same problem taumax stated. You can go to Evan Charlton's blog and post a message there. (Can't seem to paste the link in here.)
ReplyDeleteHi everyone, I can confirm the GV problems myself, and I can also tell you that Evan is working on a cut-down version of GV which will be able to initiate callbacks and leave all the other functionality to the official Google Voice App. Hang on there for a little while more, and we'll have a solution soon.
ReplyDeleteCheers!
Iordan
Hello, great posting!
ReplyDeletemy issue is that i can't seem to get caller id working on outgoing calls made through sipdroid.
i'm running sipdroid on my droid and connecting thru gizmo5, i put some cash on my gizmo account so i can skip using the google voice site, since the gv app isn't working. but yea, when i input my regular cell # to show up as the caller id # in the sipdroid settings i get a message from gizmo saying that i need to add money to my account... anyone have any ideas?
I believe that if you are making calls using the Gizmo5 service (rather than Google Voice), you need to actually *pay* for the service of displaying your preferred callerID.
ReplyDeleteContact Gizmo with your request.
Thanks for this how-to, Iordan. This could really be useful out of country. I've been using Evan's GV to get unlimited minutes through Verizon's Friends & Family numbers for months. One additional advantage I see with this method is that you could potentially lower your plan below the F&F limit since you wouldn't need it any longer. Hopefully Google integrates the Gizmo functionality soon.
ReplyDeleteHi
ReplyDeleteI follow exactly the way u described but I couldnt nake any call! every time I tried tu call with sipdriod there is a mesaage playing from gizmo asking me to but gizmo credit!! i taught its free!
nice link i like it so much. this link is very useful to every body. very nice posting
ReplyDeleteBathmate
Now that Google released an official voice app, and GV is no longer supported, how does this config change?
ReplyDeleteIordan,
ReplyDeleteyour setup is working fine for my motorola droid, at least for receiving free calls.
However, the GV by Evan Charlton is no longer supported and is having issues. Google voice doesn't let you call from the browser using android mobile. It only connects you if you're online on a regular computer.
Two questions then,
1. Is there currently a way to dial out for free using sipdroid and google voice?
2. How do you install the guava app in the phone?
I downloaded guava from here http://gizmo5.com/guava.html?loc=guava but I have no idea of how to install it on my android phone.
Thanks,
Help Me, I can't make call out. when i dial out its says " Waiting to call" and after some time its drop
ReplyDeletePerfect! Thanks for the guide!
ReplyDeleteWould someone send me an invitation to Google voice >>>oneofone.jewerly@gmail.com ?
ReplyDeleteThanks
Hello Iordan, with sipdroid configured direct to my sipgate account and using GV Dialer to initiate calls I'm currently not getting any incoming audio. However with a different wifi connection (I'm traveling) yesterday I was able to successfully calls the US from europe. Any troubleshooting suggestions?
ReplyDeletethanks, fred
Iordan-
ReplyDeleteI'm kind of in the same boat as vampirosenlahavana who posted in January. Gizmo5 not available. GV app not in Google Apps Market. Sipsorcery not available. I've read at least a half-dozen configurations of different SIP-related calling apps, and this blog offered what seemed to be the simplest set up to make VOIP calls from my Android phone. I've got the following accounts:
Google Voice, Sipgate, IPKall, SIPdroid app on my phone. I've got to believe there is a way to configure at least some of these to do this stuff. What I still can't figure out is what I may be doing wrong within either Sipgate or Sipdroid - either the username, password, proxy/server, forwarding.....
If you can help me with any of this, please feel free to email me privately: elvisruns2000@@yahoo.com
Also, since Google owns Gizmo now, any idea when they might release something simple that lets us make wi-fi calls?
Thanks ahead.
Kevin
I'm on the same boat as most of you. I have a gizmo+google account and would like to receive and initiate calls over wifi at least (if not 3g also). I've tried sipdroid but it does not even connect. My operator is SFR in france.
ReplyDeleteHi guys, lots of good questions asked, but at the moment, I don't have the opportunity to try different solutions to this. I guess I would also like to wait a little and see what will happen to the gizmo/google combination before I look for ways to get it going. Just some pointers for people to try. A possible replacement for the GV application is the Android app called gvcallback. Possible replacements for sipdroid are linphone and SIP agent, if it refuses to connect to gizmo or has audio problems.
ReplyDeleteFinally, for those who are wondering whether they can use IPKall instead of Gizmo, let me assure you that you also need another VOIP account to forward IPKall to (say it's user@domain.com). If you then register to user@domain.com with one of linphone, sip agent, or sipdroid, and use gvcallback to make GV call you back on your IPKall number, things should work.
If somebody tries to implement my suggestions, I am sure we will all benefit from a report of success or failure.
Cheers, and I'll certainly try to get something to work as soon as I get back to this or Google opens up Gizmo for new subscriptions again.
I got it installed and am registered on pbxes.org, but whenever I make a call it hangs up on me. Rude :(
ReplyDeleteI've updated the guide!
ReplyDeleteCan Sipdroid work without Google Voice?
ReplyDeleteIf Yes, How it Works?
GIZMO5 HAS BEEN KILLED OFF.
ReplyDeleteEmail received earlier today:
----------------------------
Hello,
Gizmo5 is writing to let you know that we will no longer be providing service starting on April 3, 2011. A week from today, March 11, 2011, you will no longer be able to add credit to your account.
Although the standalone Gizmo5 client will no longer be available, we have since launched the ability to call phones from within Gmail at even more affordable rates.
If you purchased calling credit and have a balance remaining in your account, you can request a refund by logging in to http://my.gizmo5.com. If you are in the United States, you can instead choose to transfer your credit to a Google Voice account, so it can be used for calling from Google Voice or Gmail. If you don̢۪t have a Google Voice account, please create one so that we can transfer your credit.
Please request a call credit transfer or refund by April 3, 2011. If you don't request a call credit transfer or refund by this date, we will automatically refund your remaining call credit via the payment method you originally used to purchase the credit. Note that if you paid via Moneybookers or if the credit card on file has expired, we will not be able to automatically refund your unused credit, so please log in to initiate the refund process.
Thank you,
The Gizmo5 Team
You have received this mandatory service announcement email to update you about important changes to your Gizmo5 account.
Excellent guide - thanks - everything works perfectly for me, although I'm using sipgate instead of gizmo - the end result is wonderful free US calls when I have decent wireless internet on my phone. CSipSimple is superb - easy to configure and use - much better than sipdroid for me.
ReplyDeleteFor those posters having problems - the guide is really about as good as it gets. Hang in there and follow it carefully - it works. However, be aware that if you have limited experience or a wierd wireless router, you will certainly encounter challenges because this is non-trivial technology. Don't forget to enable stun in csipsimple - it helps solve lots of strange router nat traversal problems for SIP traffic. Good luck and thanks again OP
Hi Ross, thanks for your comment. I've updated the guide with instructions for Sipgate instead of Gizmo5 which has been killed off by Google :(. Please have a look over the instructions and let me know if they do the trick.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you found the guide useful. I try to write guides on things I've struggled with, because it is conceivable others will struggle with them too!
THANK YOU!!!!!
ReplyDeleteHi, Iordan I have a Problem with the confirmation call from Google Voice. When i take up the phone i hear the lady, but when i type the two numbers, she doesn't accept them and sais she haven't noticed anything. I have a Samsung Galaxy I9000. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteIf there is no way to confirm via SMS, I am not sure what could be the matter. I suspect something may be not quite right with your mobile provider, ot maybe gv is haaving some temporary issues. If you figure it out, please do post how!
ReplyDeleteQuestion. If SIPGATE only gives you 60 mins free and then it is 1.9 cents a minute... how is it free calling?
ReplyDeleteDue to popular demand, this guide has been revised to include a link to setting up IPKall in addition to Sipgate, in case one of those methods dies.
ReplyDeleteSkyforger, can you please elaborate? I thought Sipgate *incoming* calls are free. We are NOT doing OUTGOING calls here, only incoming calls.
Wondering if any of this is usable without a WiFi connection? Just piggy backing on an already unlocked cell phone.
ReplyDeleteIf you have a data plan which permits as much traffic as this requires (about 900kb/minute of talk time), then yes!
DeleteSmartgroschen is the best app to make cheap calls and SIP calls. Here are some features of smartgroschen listed below
ReplyDeleteFeatures:
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• Callthrough: Call even without internet;
• Callback;
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• Voice Mail;
• Call Transfer;
• Call forwarding;
• Call recording;
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• Integrated with your existing contact list;
• Display balance;
• Top up your account directly on your phone;
• Keep your current SIM card and number;
I admit... You can make phone calls from your android tablet/ipad (without sim card) using voip app. I use Smartgroshen app, simple, good quality of voice and sync with your phone contacts.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all let me tell you, you have got a great blog .I am interested in looking for more of such topics and would like to have further information. Hope to see the next blog soon.
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