GrooVe IP — Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get started?
- Install GrooVe IP VoIP Calls & Text (or buy GrooVe IP Pro, the ad-free version) from Google Play or the Amazon App Store.
- Open/run the app.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to create an account and get a new phone number in the area code of your choice.
- Start making/receiving calls and sending/receiving SMS!
Is the service free?
The GrooVe IP app is free to download and use. You are provided with a US phone number for one dollar that lets you make calls to any other phone in the US or Canada, and receive phone calls from anywhere in the world. All calls and texting between GrooVe IP users are totally free. All incoming calls/texts from anywhere are also free. Free credits every month allow you to make outgoing calls and send texts. If you run out of credits, you can earn more by watching videos or participating in partner offers, or buy credits very inexpensively.
How many free credits are provided per month?
You are provided 16 free credits per month. These are enough to send 45 text messages or make 10 minutes of outgoing calls.
If I run out of free credits, what will it cost to buy extra credits?
$1.99 will buy you 200 credits (125 minutes of outbound calling or 570 text messages). You can also buy 550 credits for $4.99 (10% credits free!) or 1,000 credits for $8.49 (15% credits free!).
How much does an outgoing call or SMS cost?
An outgoing call to a non-GrooVe IP number costs 1.6 credits/minute. An outgoing SMS to a non-GrooVe IP number costs 0.35 credits. Calls/SMS to other GrooVe IP users are totally free.
What will it cost to use other SIP clients?
If you use your account on SIP clients other than GrooVe IP, an outbound voice minute will cost 1.8 credits and an incoming voice minute will cost 0.8 credits. Please note that you cannot use your monthly free minutes on non-GrooVe IP SIP clients.
Can I use short-code SMS?
We no longer support inbound or outbound short-code SMS messages for GrooVe IP.
Can I receive social account verification codes (WhatsApp, Facebook, etc.)?
We strongly discourage the use of GrooVe IP for SMS-based verification code delivery. If you do use GrooVe IP for this purpose, it will cost 100 credits per message and the monthly free credits cannot be used. If we determine your account was opened solely for signing up for other apps and services, we will release your phone number and terminate your account.
Will you provide 911 service?
In order to keep costs down, we will not be providing 911 service.
Why can't I get a number in my area code?
Our intention is to provide phone numbers in all US area codes. Unfortunately some area codes will not be available due to lack of available numbers. If you are not able to get a number in your desired area code, please use our search option to find a number in an alternate area code.
Can I call outside of US and Canada?
Not at this time. This functionality is being planned.
Can I use GrooVe IP outside of US/Canada?
You can receive calls to GrooVe IP from anywhere in the world. However, currently you can only call US or Canadian numbers.
What ports are used by GrooVe IP?
For registration and call signaling, GrooVe IP uses UDP port 9060 by default (configurable to 5060 in Settings – Troubleshooting). Local ports are between 5060 and 5110. For STUN, UDP port 19302 is used by default. For audio traffic, UDP ports 19000–19099 are used (configurable).
How do I customize my voicemail greeting?
From the GrooVe IP app, dial your own number and follow the voice prompts to record a custom greeting or to disable/enable voicemail.
I'm having poor voice quality, what should I do?
- Check your data connection speed — GrooVe IP needs approximately 85 Kb/s upload and download.
- On WiFi, try the "Keep Screen Alive" checkbox. Many phones put the WiFi chip into power saving mode when the screen turns off.
- The Synchronize Voice checkbox can improve quality on some devices.
- Increasing the mic buffer can improve sound toward the person you are talking to.
- Ensure task killer or battery monitor apps (e.g. Juice Defender) ignore GrooVe IP.
- Try enabling the Audio Processing checkbox.
How do I delete my GrooVe IP account?
In the navigation drawer (three lines at the top left of the main screen), click on "Delete User". This will delete your GrooVe IP account and release your phone number.
How do I use my Google Voice number as my calling-out number?
- Go to Voice.Google.com
- Add your GrooVe IP number as a forward number (make it mobile)
- Click Edit > Show Advanced Settings > Voicemail Access > Yes > Save
- In the GrooVe IP app, go to Settings > Google Voice Integration
- Select: Make calls via Google Voice, then enter your Google Voice phone number
I have a problem that is not covered here
Please contact us! We will be happy to work with you.