I've used it pretty much since I got my first phone in the US ... but in the context of Google bot-banning entire businesses without human recourse, I don't want my phone number to be at risk of that. If anyone has suggestions, I'd love to hear them!
After GV went down during business hours once, I realized I needed to control the number. It's more expensive than free, but worth it.<p>You can port out a GV number to any telecom provider for a small fee, including any of the big SIP/VoIP providers. They'll usually provide voicemail and dirt cheap rates -- but not VM transcription.
This is the very last Google service I use. I've been looking for an alternative for a couple of years, and have never found one. In particular, the ability to use a single phone number that rings my cell, office, and home.