How to make and recieve free calls and texts

[probbiethe1]

I originally posted this over at Android Tablet Forum (Add phone capabilities to your tablet (UPDATED 12-2-10)) so all the tablet owners could add phone capabilities to their devices. And i thought i would share it with all of you. It is very simple but there are several steps so make sure to read them all.

What you will need:
1.Google Voice number- www.google.com/voice
2.Callcentric account- Callcentric IP Freedom rate plan
3.IPkall account- http://phone.ipkall.com/
4.Express talk VoIP soft phone- VoIP Phone Software - SIP VoIP Softphone for PC, Mac & Pocket PC
5.Sipdroid, Csipsimple app- both in market or Sipdroid-2.0.1.apk - sipdroid - Create PBX account linked to Google Voice, call option "always ask" - Project Hosting on Google Code / CSipSimple_0.00-15-13-tls.apk - csipsimple - CSipSimple dev build for 0.00-15-13 with TLS - Project Hosting on Google Code
6.Google Voice call free app or buy the full version and support the dev- both in market or Google Voice Call Advanced for Android free version found here gvfree.apk
7.Dialer one app- found in market or DialerOne_v1.2.3.apk - dialerone - Dialer One v.1.2.3 - Project Hosting on Google Code
8.Google voice- found in market or an older version can be downloaded here http://www.soft30.com/android-downlo...-0-3-0/details i recommend the old version

To make and receive calls:
Step 1- Download all the required apps and software.

Step 2- Sign up for Callcentric

Step 3- Sign up for IPkall , for sip username type in your callcentric number, for hostname or ip address type in in.callcentric.com the rest is self explanatory look at image below for a visual UDATE: the image is now outdated but it should still be able to help ( just a heads up when adding your ipkall number to Google voice you may get a message saying this number is on other Google voice accounts. This is no big deal just cancel your ipkall account and sign back up until you find a number that Google voice will let you use. So you might have to do this step a few times)

Step 4- install express talk, when you get to the screen that asks you if you have a sip number click yes and then on the next screen for name type in whatever you want, for server type callcentric.com , for sip number type in your callcentric number , for password type in your callcentric password. The other parts of the installation are pretty simple but if you need extra help there are pictures here ImageShack Album - 5 images.

Step 5- Register your number with Google voice for this use your IPkall number (not your callcentric number) name it ipkall to keep track of it, type in your number and for phone type select mobile deselect receive text to this phone then click save. Google voice will then pop up with a verification window with a two digit number click verify. Google voice will call your number and if you did the first 4 steps right it should ring to express talk on your computer, answer it and when it asks for the two numbers type them in. The nice lady will then tell you your Google voice is activated.

Step 6- Set up sipdroid or csipsimple. Go into settings and set up an account you can name it anything you want, for username use your callcentric number, for password use callcentric account password, for server/ proxy use callcentric.com I personally use csipsimple it just seems more user friendly and seems to work better but that’s just my opinion

Step 7- Set up Google Voice free call. For user name use the Google email that your Google voice number is activated with and password use the password for that account. Then for call back number type in your IPkall number and don’t forget the 1 in front. Then set it to use Google voice to make all calls (make sure to click apply) .

Step 8- Set up dialer one go into settings- advanced settings- dtmf and change it to 50

Step 9- test it. Use another phone to call your Google voice number, if you did everything right you should receive a call. Then try calling someone if you did it right gv free call will place a call to you, you answer it and then it will call the number you dialed, they will see your Google voice number. Make sure to close down express talk before you test.

To send and receive texts:
Set up the Google voice app, it will walk you through but when it gives you an option to pick numbers pick your IPkall number. If you just want a number to send and receive text messages on your tablet for free get a Google voice number and install the older GV version app it will let you set it up with your Google talk account (the new one won’t let you)

Known issues:
Through my test I have found these following issues, these are my experiences they might be different for you but just a heads up. Over wifi sipdroid doesn’t have any sound on the end of the number you call. So you will be able to hear them fine but they won’t be able to hear you. I fixed this issue on csipsimple by turning stun on but when I turn stun on in sipdroid it won’t let my service register. When adding your ipkall number to Google voice you may get a message saying this number is on other Google voice accounts. This is no big deal just cancel your ipkall account and sign back up until you find a number that Google voice will let you use. Sometimes you might have to restart your device to make sure everything works properly. If your ipkall number is inactive for 30 days it will be canceled so make sure to use it.

Why you might want this:
Following these steps will add a single number (Google voice number) for both calls and texts, so no reason for multiple apps or numbers to do the same thing. All of this is completely free so no monthly bills. Also using this will allow you to make and receive calls over wifi, 3g, or edge/2g. So you could even use this on your phone to make free calls and not worry about minutes.

What i am currently working on:
I am trying to get this to work with the native internet calling in Android 2.3

Here is a link on how to do it if you have a gizmo5 account or sipgate account Add phone capabilities to your tablet (original)

Please please share your thoughts, questions, and findings in the comments here. I will continue updating this and tweaking it to make it smoother and easier to understand.

You can find a video for help here http://www.mydroidworld.com/forums/h...lls-texts.html

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[crackedvenom]

A lot of steps but this sounds pretty cool

Sent from my OG Droid

[Quicksilver7714]

That list is a mile long. Lol
Would turn any tablet into a huge over sized phone. That's cool.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

[htc(hot-taco-cheese)]

Wow... now you can have a 10.1" phone if you wanted to. Nice write up!

Sent from my ADR6300 using Android.net App

[Droid-Xer]

Wow that's some good info! Thanks.

[probbiethe1]

I'm glad you guys like it, it took me awhile to find everything to make work 100 free. And there are so many steps because I wanted to make it super easy for everyone to follow. I need to do some updating to make it geared more towards just phones for this write up but I think everyone can make sense of it the way it is.



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[maderschramm]

Although.....it's not 100% free, you still DO need a data plan. An alternative and slightly simpler way to do this is to simply use google voice and add the gvoice # to your friends and family plan so that every time you call it goes out to gvoice which then forwards your phone call to wherever it's supposed to go.

At least I think that's how it's done, can't confirm as I pay for my phone plan :/ lol

I'd recommend you guys do too, or else verizon won't upgrayde it's network anymore..

[probbiethe1]

Your right you have to pay for the data plan or wifi but if you get free wifi then it is 100% free. And I think google has updated google voice do that way doesn't work any more



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[WugFresh]

Get a really long string and two Dixie cups.

{{ WugFresh }}

[probbiethe1]

Hello. I love this forum,very greate.Do you love it ? I will come here again and again.
The interesting name of a site - www.android.net, interesting "How to make and recieve free..." here is very good.
I spent 7 hours searching in the network, until find your forum!

Welcome to the forum i love this site as well