11-05-2024 10:12 PM
I've done a fair bit of reading but my brain hurts as a result because there's so much conflicting and old information on this subject.
So perhaps I should precede by saying it's Nov 2024, and just because you're reading this in January 25 for example doesn't mean it's still relevant because Google seems to change how things work on a weekly basis. That can't be helped but I wish they would listen to users more. I've seen a lot of complaints to the point where people are calling. Google mini are glorified clock. I don't think it's that bad, but sometimes I understand their frustration. It's out of control how complex the home app is for everyday people.
Anyway, my hope is that my mother can use Google mini to call members of my family and ideally her two best friends. We live in Australia but one of the best friends is in the UK.
My mother cannot use her hands so voice activated calling is what I'm interested in. She lives in a nursing home with Wi-Fi.
I had a good start yesterday when I managed to call my sister yesterday using my Google mini nest to google meet on her pixel. She was then able to call me back and I answered on my mini. Win.
So I created a Gmail account for my mother and tried to set up her Google mini first gen to do the same thing. I used my Google home app but I was signed in as her. However, I got to a stage where it asked me for a phone number for google meet and it seemed to adopt my telephone number even though I told it not to.
As my mother can't use her hands so she doesn't have a phone.
1) does she need a phone with a phone number to be able to make and receive calls on mini?
2) does anyone want to help me get my mum connected?
Thanks in advance, Graham.
11-13-2024 11:56 PM - edited 11-13-2024 11:56 PM
Hi @gnishere!
Thanks for bringing this concern to our attention and posting it in the community. I apologize for the inconvenience you are having when setting up your Nest Mini with the main purpose of keeping your mother and her family and friends connected.
Let me give you some tips:
While a phone number can be helpful for verification and two-factor authentication, it's not strictly necessary for using a Google Mini for voice calls. However, having a Google Voice number can be beneficial, as it provides a dedicated phone number for voice messaging. Let's start with the following:
Google Voice Setup
Create a Google Voice account for your mother.
Link this Google Voice number to her Google account.
Configure the Google Mini to use this Google Voice number for calls.
Google Home App setup:
Ensure you're signed into the correct Google account (your mother's) in the Google Home app.
Keep me updated and we will find a resolution together.
Warm regards,
Catheryn.
11-14-2024 02:17 AM
Thanks Catheryn..
Google Voice is currently only available in the US.. i think.
But I'm in Australia