How to switch back to Google Voice from Verizon Visual Voicemail

Uh oh, you OTA updated your Verizon Samsung Galaxy S5 (SM-G900V) and now Google Voice doesn’t work. It seems to have been replaced by the plague known as Visual Voicemail. Here’s how to fix that:

1. First you’ll have to ensure that Google Voice is the default voice mail app in your phone’s settings. In Settings tap Applications.
2. Tap Call.
3. Scroll down to the VOICE MAIL heading.
4. Ensure that Google Voice is listed under Voice Mail service. If it isn’t, tap that option and select it.
5. Now to disable Visual Voicemail. Launch the app. More than likely you’ll have been pre-enrolled in a free 30-day premium trial, so you’ll have to cancel that. Click the menu icon.
6. Click End premium trial (or something to that effect).
7. Confirming the above should dump you out to the Basic Visual Voicemail app screen, which will give you the option to cancel altogether. Cancel.
8. Go to Google Voice.
9. Click the Settings icon.
10. Click Settings.
11. Click Deactivate voicemail.
12. Click Activate voicemail.
13. Follow the instructions in the pop-up exactly. (You may notice, for example, that the number you’re told to dial is different from your voice mail access number.) Your phone should now be back to using Google Voice instead of Visual Voicemail.

The above worked for my phone, which is stock rooted Android version 4.4.4, Build Number KTU84P.G900VVRU1ANI2 (commonly known as the NI2 build).