14 DAY TRIAL // Google has now rolled out phone number porting for all Google Voice users. This will enable them to transfer their phone number from their carrier completely to Google Voice. If you have a lot of contacts which have your existing number, than this feature is perfect for you. There are some caveats and the process is not as straightforward as it could be, but a lot of people have been waiting for this for a long time.
"Many of us have a phone number that we've shared with family, friends, and contacts over the years and are reluctant to let go," Robert Dong, Software Engineer at Google, writes.
"Today, we’re excited to announce that Number Porting is available for all existing Google Voice users. This means you can make the mobile number you’ve always used your Google Voice number, so it can ring any phone you want—or even your computer," he announced.
Google actually gave some users a taste a few days ago when it quietly enabled the feature. Given the complexity of number porting, especially at Google Voice's scale, a live test makes sense.
But the feature is now finally available for everyone. Google Voice users can port their existing numbers from their carriers to Voice. The process itself is rather seamless, pay Google $20 and it takes care of all the technicalities.
Unfortunately, this automated method also implies canceling your existing contract with the mobile or landline operators. This means that your phone basically becomes useless since you're left without a service.
Google only provides some voice-related services, but it still needs an actual carrier to move the data, unless you're planning to call only from Gmail. To avoid any issues, you have to arrange for a second number or a transfer with a carrier ahead of selecting the option in Google Voice.
Even so, it will take up to a day for the transfer to complete and you may miss out on three days-worth of messages. Still, the advantages of controlling your own number outweigh the hurdles.