Why do we need hobby phones if all you do is text us???

[stevehefner]

Seriously. I have a p411 account so u know I am legit. I have s hobby email and an iPhone so u can contact me quickly. Why the need for texting to a phone then?

In my years of hobbying I would say only 5% require me to call them. The other 95% just text me when they r ready for me...


Reason it is a pain is because my hobby phone is just a prepaid piece of shit that I have to add minutes to and also constantly hide from SO...


These are just deep thoughts by Jack Mehoff

[Keyser Soze LLC]

For me I like the security of anonymity. Like phone numbers, text numbers are seen on my statements. It's all personal preference but highly recommended.

[mansfield]

Let's face it, insurance is expensive until you need it.

[SomethingOnTheSide]

because you get unsolicited texts from providers at unexpected moments. anonymity.

[Guest053013-01]

google voice works well. You have control over when and how the calls or txt comes in.

[TinMan]

Good question, Steve. After asking myself the same, I determined google voice was the best solution for me, and I ditched my hobby phone which was a constant source of concern for me (hiding it was the main problem).

Since switching to GV, I've used it maybe 3 times in the past 6 months for phone calls. That is infrequent enough that the phone number appearing on my cell bill is pretty innocuous (and isn't the number I was dialing in any event). Texts are routed to my hobby email account, so no issues there.

[stevehefner]

Thanks for the info tinman! I will look into GV

In regards to the other comments. I guess I need to be more clear. I would not use my iPhone (my personal ) for hobbying but on my iPhone I have Internet access to check my anonymous yahoo email. So if a provider is just going to text my hobby phone why can't they just email me?


But GV may solve all this so the point may be mute.

[hd]

I have my personal cell phone that no way will I use to call or text for hobbying (no email access). Even though you can erase that stuff, it is still there if she wants to request that information from your carrier. Phone numbers and texting info is pretty much there forever.

I have a hobby phone and will call or text with it.

[CoHorn]

I used a hobby phone for years and used a prepaid Tracphone. I got tired of buying minutes because they always expired. I switched to Google Voice about a year ago and have loved it. It's on my Iphone and I can turn it on and off whenever I want with absolutely no cost.

[Guest070213]

Does GV work on a Verizon LG Android?

[techNote]

Google Voice works on both Android and iPhone

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...glevoice&hl=en
iPhone: https://itunes.apple.com/en/app/goog...318698524?mt=8

Google voice is the best thing. On iPhone once you are logged out, you cannot receive text messages from it. So you cannot get text messages when you don't want to receive them. Plus it has a 'Do Not Disturb' setting. So that calls will not go through when you don't want them. I leave 'Do Not Disturb' on at all times. And log into in the app, when I want to text someone.

[stevehefner]

So tell me this on Google Voice - I signed in and got a number assigned to my account. In order to activate it I need to add a phone number they can verify... I put in my hobby phone # just for testing. So when I call out of the iPhone app it connects to my hobby phone to make the call... which # is displayed on caller ID when the call goes out? The GV # or the number I attached to the account? (In this case my hobby phone #).

Asking because the hope here is to get rid of the hobby phone but I don't want my personal # displayed when I call out from Google Voice...

[pyramider]

How do you explain to the SO why you have a Google Voice app on your phone?

[stevehefner]

Good point.

[Lunytunz]

Most have iPhones or iPads. There are apps for texting thru the Internet. They are erasable and you can pick your anonymous number and change numbers whimsically. No hobby phone needed. Textnow is one option. There are many others. I'm sure there are downfalls but I have yet to find one.