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JGBerry · **GrandCentral -** 07-15-2007, 11:08 PM

So, there is all this hype about GrandCentral. Has anyone actually started to integrate GrandCentral with all of their phone #'s? To be honest, I haven't had a use for it, except to get around long distance charges when talking to my girlfriend via landline (PA to FL and vice-versa)

Dawg · **OS:** 4.5.0.77

I see a real use for it i can give it to home owners who want to call me but i dont want to give my real number too. I have mine set up so that if I get a call it shows gran central so I know its not a reg call.

Im not sure how much i will use it realyy since I just got it. I will play with it this week and see.

Lowrider · 07-16-2007, 08:45 AM

I wish I knew.....got a spare invite? Then, I'll vote! lol

orbitz · 07-18-2007, 02:03 AM

I have been using it quite a bit lately...I have 3 numbers that I am playing around with and I have basically been "forcing" employees and partners to call me on those lines to test it out...so far it has worked exactly as advertised for me. I am, in fact, finding it pretty useful but I am not sure how much integration I will do with it...I am moving very much towards consolidating all of phone activity so that I can force ALL incoming calls to ring my cell phone, my BB, a softphone and an office phone...and then be sent to Simulscribe or some service like that to handle voicemails > text > email. I haven't yet figured out exactly how to work that magic but GrandCentral may or may not fit into the mix

JGBerry · 07-18-2007, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by orbitz

I have been using it quite a bit lately...I have 3 numbers that I am playing around with and I have basically been "forcing" employees and partners to call me on those lines to test it out...so far it has worked exactly as advertised for me. I am, in fact, finding it pretty useful but I am not sure how much integration I will do with it...I am moving very much towards consolidating all of phone activity so that I can force ALL incoming calls to ring my cell phone, my BB, a softphone and an office phone...and then be sent to Simulscribe or some service like that to handle voicemails > text > email. I haven't yet figured out exactly how to work that magic but GrandCentral may or may not fit into the mix

see, i am afraid of integrated it too much...b/c what if the service is stopped, or they start charging? i definitely don't find it good enough to pay $15/month for. this is always a risk...getting something too integrated then it goes away and you're screwed. Gmail had that problem initially...

JGBerry · 07-18-2007, 12:44 PM

grand central said they will start charging after the beta testing...
does it apply to only outgoing calls via voicemail CallBack and Click2Call or does that apply to incoming calls also?

Dawg · **OS:** 4.5.0.77

Quote:

Originally Posted by JGBerry

grand central said they will start charging after the beta testing...
does it apply to only outgoing calls via voicemail CallBack and Click2Call or does that apply to incoming calls also?

very good question I havent started using it just for that reason

JGBerry · 07-18-2007, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dawg

very good question I havent started using it just for that reason

nevermind that. i looked it up on GrandCentral and it will always be free for incoming calls. outgoing calls using Click2Call will cost money. i can't ever see myself doing the Click2Call anyways, so I don't think I have anything to worry about.

my question is this now...

what if you have a friend in Ottawa, Canada with a 514 area code. Could you create a new GrandCentral account for that person, and under the phone number for calls to be routed to, enter in the 514 area code (you don't need international dialing numbers to call Canada directly). it accepted the number but i am not able to test and see if the call is routed or not. so, if you call the newly created GrandCentral account, it will call your friend, FOR FREE. i think this is a great way to get around long distance charges, and if this works, it's an even better way to get around international long distance charges. you could essentially create a grand central account for each long distance person... hmmm

orbitz · 01:19 PM

I have read in several different places that the incoming part of the service is expected to always remain free...outgoing via click to call callback is where there will be charges as posted above. The only issue this would cause is if you don't use the service to call back on then people would see your other numbers in callerid...rather then your GC number...this sort of defeats part of the purpose of GC imo. The options that I see are to either a) block your outbound caller id or b) use a voip service that allows you to set the outbound caller id to your GC number to return calls...neither of these are very ideal solutions especially if your using a mobile phone to return a lot of calls as I do.

In my case, I do happen to have probably 70% of my 12,000 mobile minutes a month from the same 4 or 5 people so it might not be a huge challenge just to have those people always dial into my GC number so I can pick which phone is most convenient to answer from and also allow Vmail to land on my GC number and not my cell number.

The other thing I am waiting to see is if they will add voice to text for vm's...I really would love to pair this service with something like SimulScribe but currently I don't see anyway to have voice mails bypass GC's system.

One other note..GC does work as advertised to call your Gizmo Project SIP number if you happen to have one...I have not tried it with Skype yet.

Dawg · 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JGBerry

nevermind that. i looked it up on GrandCentral and it will always be free for incoming calls. outgoing calls using Click2Call will cost money. i can't ever see myself doing the Click2Call anyways, so I don't think I have anything to worry about.

well thats refreshing SO I will indeed add the number to my office vm

JGBerry · 07-18-2007, 01:45 PM

that was a galvatron post if i ever saw one haha.

so yea...no one has addressed my question of having it tied to a Canadian 514 area code number...does anyone know about this?

orbitz · 07-18-2007, 01:50 PM

No idea if this will work...although it seems like it should unless GC blocks outgoing international calls. Would have to try it....

Lowrider · 07-19-2007, 06:19 PM

Works great, has several uses

phone_caller · 07-19-2007, 10:14 PM

I wish that two accounts could have link the same number. It would be nice for my account and my wife's account to use the same home number. As for now, no luck!

Lowrider · 07-20-2007, 06:07 AM

If I understand u right, have u tried the "temporary number" field? I used my number on my moms act.

JGBerry · 07-20-2007, 11:01 AM

can you have a 514 (canadian area code) as one of the numbers that rings when someone calls your Grand Central number. has anyone tried this out yet?

orbitz · 07-20-2007, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JGBerry

can you have a 514 (canadian area code) as one of the numbers that rings when someone calls your Grand Central number. has anyone tried this out yet?

I don't believe so...I tried adding a Vancouver BC number and it wouldn't ring it. I don't think it will ring a non U.S. area code.

orbitz · 07-20-2007, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lowrider

If I understand u right, have u tried the "temporary number" field? I used my number on my moms act.

I think what he means...is (same for me) one of the mini complaints about their set up...lets say a husband and wife each want their own "number for life" and each would like to have their GC number ring both their own cell phones and their common home phone line. With the current set up..GC will not allow a number to be added for forwarding on 2 different accounts...so for the example above, only one of them could use their home number for forwarding...the other is out of luck currently.

I have talked to their tech support a few times about this and they are looking at making that feature available after they leave Beta as part of a premium service..something like $10 per month. They have confirmed that the service as is WILL remain free for incoming calls...but that they will be offering some extra goodies in a paid service including (possibly) the above.

The temporary number field is only for click-to-call.

JGBerry · **GrandCentral Follow Up -** 08-04-2007, 05:37 PM

So how is GrandCentral working for everyone?

orbitz · 08-05-2007, 01:07 AM

Still working great for me.

Dawg · **OS:** 4.5.0.77

the little time I have used it seem to work ok

JGBerry · 08-05-2007, 12:05 PM

to be honest, i am hesitant to integrate it too much. currently i am only using it to get around landline long distance charges. i am just afraid that if i start using my grandcentral number for everything, then something happens to the company etc, or their "network goes down" or something like that...then i'm screwed. i just would like to see the company (now owned by google) become secured in its place first. this is the same reason why i didn't get Gmail until late in the game, i just didn't want to integrate it too much.

by the way...is Gmail ever going to get out of the beta phase? lol