Google voice interaction.

** UPDATE **
With the latest version of App, I provided an option to disable the call intercept and Contact lookup for selecting the number to dial. Using these options user can continue to use Google voice for their main day to day use and for placing call using Vonage user can use the dial destination from the app.
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Call using Vonage(CV) and Google voice(GV) application are similar that both intercept the outgoing call and do some internal operation and call some other number than the originally dialed one. If the user is using Google voice along with the Call using Vonage, user should configure both the app such that both dont process the same call automatically. E.g if GV is set to use for all calls and CV is set to use for International calls, then Dialing the international number would result in two calls and would confuse the user and phone. So what I would suggest is to set "Ask every time I make call" option in the GV (Menu->Settings->Making calls" and Uncheck "Always use Vonage for making international call" in CV. This will result in both the app prompting user how to proceed with the call.

If GV provides an option to let user not to use GV for international calls then user can configure GV for local calls and CV for international calls, unfortunately that option is not available in GV and hence the only option for proper calling is to set on GV to "Ask every time I make call"

Another option:

User can set the GV whatever setting as per their wish and uncheck the "Always use Vonage for making international call" in CV. With these setting use can use the phone dialer to dial out the calls using GV. And for the calls using Vonage, user can get into the CV application and use "Menu->Make Vonage Call" and enter the international number e.g. 0119144xxxxxx .

The first option would be for users who are using GV and CV equally and second option is for users who use more GV calls and few CV calls.

I plan to add soon contact lookup in the CV app to ease the dialing.

Forwarding unset.

There are few comments made by users on why I am not rollbacking the forward as soon as the call is originated.

The answer is, the app is trying to rollback the forward few secs after the call is made, but that attempt would be successful only for the GSM users and Wifi connected users. CDMA users would get the failure, because CDMA technology used by Verizon or Sprint doesnt allow data connection when the Call is in progress. (Remember the ATT advertisement where they quote users can browse while on call that is not possible with Verizon). Since data connection is not available for Verizon and Sprint users while on call the app cant make a web request to Vonage server to unset the forward. If the rollback failed, in the App I have another logic to wait for call to be done and try to rollback the forward. For Verizon and Sprint users this will be triggered few secs after the call is dropped.

-Suriya.

Why Contact listing is missing

When I designed the Call using Vonage app, I had two choices either to create a standalone app or to create an integrated app. I thought and decided to have an integrated app, as this app is going to supplement a service to the dialer (i.e identify the international call and route through Vonage).

Based on that decision, I dont want user to launch the app by clicking the icon and dial a number from the app. What I want is user goes to their phone dialer app or phone contact app and dial a number or dial a contact. Once dialed Call using Vonage intercept and route the call automatically. So user dont have to learn how to dial using another app. Use the same dialer you are familier with and use the same contact app to manage your contacts and dialing.

Adding a contact lookup in the app is not a big deal, I want user to go to the Phones dialer/contact to dial. I discourage user to launch the "Call using Vonage" app to dial a number. Since most of the users used with iPhone, tends to go to the app to do some thing. Android is different where integration is possible. I love the powerfulness of the integrated platform.

If someone post me a valid scenario they cant be done with the phone's dialer/contact app and that can be done by having contact lookup within the app, next day there will be an update with Contact lookup in the app.

Some users mailed me about the missing contact lookup in the app, once I told them to use the dialer/Contact they loved to have that.

-Suriya.

Call using Vonage.

Thanks for using "Call using Vonage" Android app. I have been getting questions regularly from the users and sometimes same question from multiple users, to have a better communication and have a repository of FAQ and to provide user manual I am creating this blog. Once again thanks for using the app.

Thanks
Suriya.