Cloud Numbers vs. Google Voice

[bwyatt]

This is not intended to be a "which is better" thread, but rather a thread that will help me (and maybe others) to understand the differences and the best uses of each. For the record... I have both.

How are they alike? How are they different? What does one do that the other won't? What does one do better than the other? When should I get a cloud number instead of a google voice number? When is a google voice number the better option?

[bwyatt]

No takers on this one? Did I ask the wrong question?

[ymhee_bcex]

There are no wrong questions :)
I guess, there isn't a whole lot difference between the two (a number is a number is a number). Obviously, one is free and another isn't; there are differences in control panel; and if you switch providers you can take your GV number with you - but you already know all that ;)

That said, I can't think of any use case where one would have clear advantage over another. And by the way, if you don't care about the location, IPKall offers free numbers in Washington State that you can forward to VOIPo or many other providers (or even, with some mastery, directly to your adapter).

[bwyatt]

Really disappointed there has only been one response in nearly a month. I suppose this forum is no longer active?

[gatorsean]

Well google voice is a really nice service but since I have been using it (summer 2010 or so), its not really clear if it will be a paid service or free forever. "Free calling within the US and Canada through 2011" and then it changed to 2012.

Google voice offers DIDs in many cities just like voipo, but the latter is simply a forwarding number. You can read about google voice elsewhere.

The topic isn't too complex so I'm assuming why there has not been a lot of chatter about this.