With an unlimited data plan and a calling circle plan you CAN send and receive calls that don’t eat your minutes. I don’t use a calling circle plan so only my incoming calls that are routed through Google Voice are free.
I give out my Google Voice number to people or websites that I’d rather not have my TRUE cell phone number, which I’ve had for 10 years.
I enjoy getting the transcribed voicemails even when they aren’t accurate. Saves me from having to call in and retrieve them.
I chose a Google Voice number in the area code where most of my family still lives, several of them still with land lines. Now when they call my GV number, its a local call for them instead of long distance.