The solution that worked for us
Google Voice >> Settings >> “Forwards calls to:” [Pick your number] >> Edit >> “Phone Type:” drop down: Select one phone type for this Google Voice and set a different phone type for your phone number in the other Google Voice account. You have up to three phone types to use. Use them wisely.
The reason we have multiple Google Voice numbers
I just set up an another Google Voice number for Katie and I. It’s to help with family because we’re on the road a lot and spend parts of the year in three different states – not including pleasure trips. Already we have our original cell phone numbers. Katie also has a work phone number. We share a Google Voice number with a 925 area code for all the local things we do in Bay Area. This first Google Voice number acts as our “house line.”
I was in the process of setting this additional number for family when I got a message in my email saying:
“Dear Nat Finn,
“Please note that the forwarding number (***) ***-**** was deleted from your Google Voice account (usemycontactform@insteadofthis.comical) because it was claimed and verified by another Google Voice user.
“If you still want this forwarding number on your account and believe this was an error, please click here to learn more.
“Thanks,
“The Google Voice Team”
So I did what I normally do during a SNAFU: I swore. I wrote a whiny email to Katie because she was asleep. Then I grumbled, bitched, ate popcorn, grumbled, and went, “hey, maybe I should Google this and see if there’s a solution.”
Here’s what I found.
You can have up to three Google Voice Numbers forward to your cell phone. The trick is to set a different Phone Type for each one.
Google provides three phone types:
- Mobile
- Work
- Home
I guess work comes first.
What I did wrong
I already set my phone type in our House Line to “Mobile.” It makes sense, being that it is my mobile phone. The problem was when I went to do it sell my phone type to “Mobile” again for this new account, I accidentally kicked my cell phone off our “House Line,” and I got the warning email.
What I did to fix it
I went back into this new Google Voice number and I set the phone type to “Home,” and validated it again.
Then I went and sent test calls and texts from both Google Voice numbers to make sure they still forwarded to my cell.
And, I’m in luck. They both work.
And, I still have one Google Voice number slot to play with.
Lucky days. Lucky days.
Update: 2016/07/30
I had a commenter ask if anyone had really done three before. At first I was about to delete it because the comment implied he hadn’t read the post. I had them running. I even called them that night to confirm I had the 3 forwarding to me.
Then my dumb ass got curious
I deleted my settings and tried them again. And I broke them. I can only get two now. It sucks, but the third one isn’t a, “answer the call right away,” so I have the gmail to that account forwarding all mail over to my primary accounts. So, in essence, it’s like 3. For that matter, you can stay up-to-date with as many Google numbers as you want if you don’t have to worry about answering the call right away. But it’s not 3 you can answer to right away. Not like how I had it. F***.
Note to self: next time, just set the test in a testing environment. Not one you have live.
Additional Sources on how to set multiple forwarding Google Voice numbers to your cell phone
Quora.com
I usually avoid Quora.com as a praxis, but since they opened up that stupid login paywall so now everyone can read the indexed content, I’ve given their advice a chance. It worked. Check it out.
Google Product Forums
For a $20 fee you can port a second Google Voice number to your Google Voice account. It will be a permanent fix. One will be primary. One will be secondary. They note that you’ll also have to pay the $10 “change number” fee so it will end up being a $30 fee overall. But, still, way cheaper than paying the phone company more than that per month.
Now, about keeping my cool when things go stupid…grrr.