# Getting a new phone #. (Free Goggle #?)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-new-phone-free-goggle/800769>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 5, 2017, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-new-phone-free-goggle/800769 "2017-11-05T15:28:08Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![raindog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@raindog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raindog)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2017, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-new-phone-free-goggle/800769/1 "2017-11-05T15:28:08Z")

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I need 3 or 4 phone numbers. There are companies like Grasshopper, Ooma, Vonage etc where I can get numbers. (Even AT&T etc)

All of these companies want to sell you a number with a bundle of features; voice mail etc.

I need 1 and 1 only; call forwarding. These numbers will be in a constant state of call forwarding. (To my business in Cincinnati)

Has anyone ever usd Google’s free numbers? How do they work? Call quality? What’s the cheapest way I can make this happen?

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**Author:** ![wevets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2017, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-new-phone-free-goggle/800769/2 "2017-11-05T15:38:09Z")

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I have a second phone number through Google Voice that forwards to my phone - it’s free, and I’ve had no problems with it. Seems like a simple solution to your needs.

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**Author:** ![raindog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@raindog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raindog)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2017, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-new-phone-free-goggle/800769/3 "2017-11-05T15:42:03Z")

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wevets

I’m thinking of getting a web presence in a couple cities but no PHYSICAL presence. Could I simply get a Miami number (for example) and then optimize that number and simply forward it to my Cincinnati business?

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**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\
**Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-new-phone-free-goggle/800769/4 "2017-11-06T02:33:05Z")

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I use a device from a company called Obihai and it works with Google Voice. The single line Obi200 costs [$49.95 at Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BUV7C9A/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00BUV7C9A&linkCode=as2&tag=obihatechn-20), and the two line obi202 cost $99. I’ve had my cordless phone base station plugged into the older obi100 for several years with no issues, and I call my wife in Chicago for hours at a time, costing me nothing. I dial calls just like usual. The quality is, as far as I can tell, perfect (but then my internet here is a gigabit Google Fiber connection.)

One other lovely thing is that Google Voice filters out spam calls.

VERY highly recommended.

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**Author:** ![wevets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\
**Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-new-phone-free-goggle/800769/5 "2017-11-06T13:08:16Z")

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> [@raindog](#):
>
> wevets
> 
> I’m thinking of getting a web presence in a couple cities but no PHYSICAL presence. Could I simply get a Miami number (for example) and then optimize that number and simply forward it to my Cincinnati business?

As long as they have a Miami number available. I tried to get a number in Seattle, but they didn’t have any available, so I chose one from the relatively-nearby Federal Way.

I don’t know about multiple numbers, but the single number I’m using is from an area code distant to my cell phone, and forwards just fine - voicemail picks up unanswered calls, I can use the Google Voice number if I want to make an outgoing call.

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**Author:** ![raindog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@raindog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raindog)\
**Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-new-phone-free-goggle/800769/6 "2017-11-06T15:11:36Z")

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Thanks so much **wevets** & **gaffa.**

I’ll get the numbers and buy that device today.

thanks again

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**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\
**Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-new-phone-free-goggle/800769/7 "2017-11-06T18:38:05Z")

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> [@raindog](#):
>
> Thanks so much **wevets** & **gaffa.**
> 
> I’ll get the numbers and buy that device today.
> 
> thanks again

No problem.