Google Voice
Introduction:
Google Voice is not primarily a VoIP service. But it does take advantage of VoIP technology over the Internet to allow users to make calls for cheap. Google Voice is a revamping of the GrandCentral service that Google acquired in 2007. It aims at allowing users to manage their communication channels better, through Unified Communications. Google has reworked the service that GrandCentral once offered, with many improvements and features.
Features:
· Google Voice gives you a local phone number, of your choice. These can be your office phone, mobile phone, mobile phone, SIP phone etc.
· The cost of international calls in among the most competitive.
· Voice to text transcription of voicemails
· Call recording, among others.
· Google voicemail: voicemail like email
· Voicemail transcription: read what your voicemail says
· Custom greetings: vary voicemail greetings by caller
· International calling: low cost calls to the world
· Notifications: read voicemail messages via email or SMS
· Share voicemails: forward, embed, or download voicemails
Benefits:
· Unified communications through one single phone number.
· Voice to text transcription of voicemails.
· Free calls to the US. Competitive rates for outgoing international calls.
· Free service, open to anyone.
· Many interesting features, including call recording,
Disadvantages:
· Existing phone number cannot be ported to Google Voice. (Update: this is changing soon)
· Google is more focused on incoming calls and as a result, many features don’t work with outgoing calls.
· Available only for users in the US, as calls cannot be forwarded abroad.
· Outgoing calls cannot be recorded.
How does it work?
Once you receive a Google Voice invite, you’re ready to get started. You can use an existing Google Account, or create a new one by visiting the URL http://www.google.com.
Google Voice works the following way:
· Any call initiated through Google Voice necessarily has to pass through the PSTN, the traditional phone system. But the PSTN doesn’t do all the work. The call is then handed to the Google space on the Internet, which is where the ‘numbers are pooled’. Say the call is directed to another Google Voice number, that number is identified within Google’s numbers, and from there, the call is sent to its final destination.
· We need to keep in mind that the main aim of Google Voice is to unify communication channels, more so than saving on cost. As a result, you can easily switch carrier without having to change phone number, as one number can ring any phone through any carrier.
· Cost-wise, this also implies that you still have to pay your phone or wireless carrier, because finally, Google Voice is not a complete alternative to the services of these carriers, unlike Skype.
Conclusion:
On the whole, it is a nice service of which everyone will want to have an account (just like Gmail), especially since it is free. In order to get a Google Voice number, you need to request an invitation. Go to the Google Voice invitation page and submit your email address. Some time later, you will receive an email requesting you to register. As I write this, only US residents are being given numbers. Google say they are working on numbers for other people.
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Category: VoIP Service Provider
