Using Google Voice to Extend T-Mobile MyFaves

I switched to T-Mobile last fall when I switched to the G1, and have found their MyFaves feature really useful. For those of you who don't know about it, MyFaves are five phone numbers that you link to your account and get unlimited talk time to. This is GREAT. It turns out I talk to my two most frequently called numbers more than any of my other numbers combined. However, the 866 conference call number that I dial into for work is not allowed to be added as a MyFave. That's annoying. And it was more annoying after doing that a handful of times thinking the MyFave add went through (when it didn't) and getting the bill.

Enter Google Voice (formerly known as GrandCentral before being acquired). GrandCentral started out as a service that gave you a free phone number that you could link to your different physical phones. When your GrandCentral number rings, it rings all of your linked devices and you can pick up the one that's most convenient. For example, if you're at work and you don't want to pay for airtime minutes, you can pick up on your work phone. Neat. I signed up for this service when they launched and forgot about it until recently, with all the hub-bub about Google Voice.

Google Voice adds a lot of cool things that I will probably start using eventually. But let me get to the meat of it. Add your Google Voice number as a MyFave through T-Mobile. Then, from the web interface, you can supply it with a phone number and have it connect the call. When your cell phone rings, it's from your Google Voice number -- and since that's a MyFave, you get unlimited free talk time. Using Google Voice, you can turn your five MyFaves into unlimited MyFaves and never again have to pay extra minutes.