How Google Voice Solved My ATT Reception Issues

For many iphone users, ridiculously poor reception is almost enough to switch carriers…almost. Fortunately, for those who make many calls within the range of a wifi connection, we can marry Google Voice and Skype to reproduce the reliable phone connection we once enjoyed.

How it works: Google Voice is a free service that allows users to forward incoming calls to any number of devices, full customizable by time of the week. During times when I’m in the office or at home (and get no reception), I have Google Voice forward calls to my Skype number. The rest of the time, while I’m running errands, calls go to my iphone.

The Good: I have multiple phones, so Google gives me one convenient number to tell everyone about. Additionally, there’s a host of services that Google has that I love: SMS transcribed voicemails, call recording, an online archive of my calls, and call screening.

The Bad: It costs money: I have to purchase an incoming Skype number, which is roughly $30—plus per minute call charges. However, Skype monthly rates are very cheap and these costs probably more than makes up for the amount of money I’ve lost due to dropped calls and poor reception. For those of you with high-minute monthly plans, it might mean you can downgrade to a cheaper plan. Additionally, sometimes I have to remember to set the Google Voice settings correctly, or it’ll ring the wrong phone.

Despite the downsides, I no longer have to schedule my day around whether or not I get reception. I always get reception – and that’s priceless.

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