Sprint owners already made a few Google fans happy today with their announcement of the Nexus S 4G, but they followed that up with another biggie: integrated Google Voice for its customers. Basically, Sprint customers will be able to use their regular Sprint phone number with Google Voice, without any of the hassles associated with the usual porting process. That means you can have your Sprint number ring your home, office, or other number, and you also get access to goodies like voicemail transcriptions, all without having to sign up for a new GV number. There's no word exactly when the feature will be made available, but interested users can visit this link and sign up to be notified with it does launch.
While we all kind of knew that the Nexus S 4G was coming this week, this Google Voice announcement was a bit of a surprise, but it's pretty awesome for anyone that uses Google Voice with any regularity and happens to be a Sprint customer. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if this news, combined with the Nexus S 4G, could convert more than a few Google fans to Sprint customers if they're not already on the Now Network. So, any of you Sprint users planning to use your number with GV when it's finally made possible?
Sprint and Google to Launch Integrated Google Voice Experience on All Sprint Phones, Including Upcoming Nexus S 4G
Sprint is first carrier to allow customers to use their existing mobile number as their Google Voice number without porting
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (BUSINESS WIRE), March 21, 2011 - Sprint (NYSE: S) and Google announced today a new integrated Google Voice™ experience that will allow Sprint customers to set their existing Sprint wireless phone number as their Google Voice number. Sprint customers will be able to take advantage of all the features and benefits of Google Voice without the hassle and fees associated with porting their number. Sprint is the first and only carrier to offer this capability, which will be available soon on all Sprint CDMA phones.
In addition, Nexus S 4G1, announced today by Sprint, Google and Samsung, will allow Sprint customers to enable the integrated Google Voice experience and will come preloaded with the Google Voice Android app.
“As part of our partnership with Google, our customers will appreciate having the easiest set-up experience of any wireless carrier for Google Voice across all of our CDMA phones, using their existing Sprint phone number,” said Kevin McGinnis, vice president-Product and Technology Development, Sprint. “It’s now easier than ever to truly live a mobile lifestyle with the ability to manage multiple devices through intelligent call routing and online controls using just one phone number – your existing Sprint number.”
"With this integration, we have made Google Voice simple to use with a Sprint phone," said Dave Girouard, president at Google. "Sprint subscribers now have access to all the benefits of Google Voice behind their existing mobile number without the need for porting or, if they already have a Google Voice number, they can display that number from their Sprint phone without the need for a separate application."
Manage multiple devices with Google Voice
Google Voice makes it easy for people to manage and access most of their voice-based communication. It lets users manage up to six different devices through one phone number with intelligent call routing and advanced features like call screening, blocking and recording using the phone’s dial pad. Sprint subscribers will be able to use their Sprint number across their office, home and wireless phones, and personalize settings so calls from friends ring their wireless device and home phone, while calls from the boss only ring at the office. Google Voice users can receive transcribed voicemails and read or listen to them online. They can also read, send and search text messages and call logs online at www.google.com/voice.
Sprint is the only carrier that allows the user to assign their existing mobile phone number as their Google Voice number without having to port their number, avoiding porting charges, potential service disruptions and the hassle of calling their carrier to terminate and port their number to Google Voice and then re-subscribe with another number. Sprint’s integration with Google simplifies and shortens the process of moving a phone number to Google Voice to mere minutes.
Integrated Google Voice Experience from Sprint
One number for all your devices Work, home, mobile; no need to change numbers after a move or new job
Route phone calls and text messages Send work calls to the office, personal to home or mobile
Conditional call presentation Hear caller info before answering or send straight to voicemail
In-call options Record calls, switch phones during a call, conference calling
Manage it all online Manage call history, texts and voicemail; listen to voicemail and read transcribed messages; view threaded text messaging history and continue the conversation online
Keep your existing wireless phone number without porting Only with Sprint
Customers can sign up to be notified when the integrated Google Voice experience for Sprint phones is available at www.google.com/voice/sprint.
With a few simple steps, any Sprint CDMA phone will be able to use Google Voice to simplify the customer’s wireless experience:
1.
Customers can simply go to www.google.com/voice/sprint and sign-up for the integrated service from Sprint.
2. Google will then confirm the customer would like to use their existing Sprint number as their Google Voice number.
3. Customers do not need to notify Sprint that they plan to use Google Voice. A notification is automatically sent to Sprint to provision the necessary services on the network required for the Google Voice integrated experience.
4. Within minutes, all of the customer’s phone calls, text messages and voicemail run through Google Voice, and all inbound and outbound calls show up with the customer’s existing Sprint number with all of the benefits of Google Voice.
For more information on Sprint’s Google Voice integration, watch the video and visit www.sprint.com/googlevoice.2
Use of Google Voice is available at no additional charge with Sprint plans including Sprint’s Everything Data plans. Sprint’s Everything Data plans with Any Mobile, AnytimeSM include unlimited Web, texting and calling to and from any mobile in America while on the Sprint network, starting at just $69.99 per month plus required $10 Premium Data add-on charge for smartphones – a savings of $39.99 per month versus Verizon’s comparable plan with unlimited talk, text and Web (excluding Verizon’s Southern California plan; pricing excludes surcharges and taxes).
Sprint Everything Data plans qualify customers for automatic enrollment in the Sprint PremierSM loyalty program.3 Existing Sprint customers can switch to an Everything Data plan without extending their service agreement. New lines of service require a two-year service agreement.
