October 27, 2009

Google Voice Now Available with Current Mobile Phone Number

When signing up for Google Voice, you previously had to get a new phone number in order to get an account. Now, Google is allowing people to sign up with their current mobile phone numbers. You can still get a new phone number if you choose.

If you sign up with your current number, you'll get:

Online, searchable voicemail
Free automated voicemail transcription
Custom voicemail greetings for different callers
Email and SMS notifications
Low-priced international calling

There are limitations to choosing your existing phone number. You won't get all the features. Here are the ones you can only get with a new Google number:

One number that reaches you on all your phones
SMS via email
Call screening
Listen In
Call recording
Conference calling
Call blocking

Posted by Nathania Johnson at 12:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)

August 3, 2009

FCC Launches Inquiry Into Google Voice iPhone App Rejection

DowJones is reporting that the FCC is looking into the reason for the Google Voice application being rejected for the iPhone. They've sent letters to Google, Apple and AT&T seeking answers as to why the VOIP (voice over the internet protocol) app was rejected. The inquiry is part of a larger investigation to handset maker and carriers having exclusive deals with each other. The iPhone is sold exclusively on AT&T in the United States.

Personally, when I heard that the Google Voice app was rejected, I thought it was a giant publicity stunt by Apple and Google to show that they're not really anticompetitive. The FTC recently launched their own investigation into the ties between the two.

For its part, AT&T says it has nothing to do with the approval or rejection of apps. But they might want to revise their official answer, since they did reject Slingbox.

AT&T is likely concerned about two things - iPhone customers using VOIP instead of their minutes, plus the use of bandwidth is becoming a problem for the carrier (according to them).

Google Voice can still be used with an iPhone, but it requires calling an extra step or two than a normal phone call.

Stay tuned for this unfolding drama.

Posted by Nathania Johnson at 5:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)

March 12, 2009

Google Launching GrandCentral As Google Voice

Google is launching GrandCentral - that they purchased in 2007 for over $50 million - as Google Voice. The product is like Skype, a voice over IP service that offers free internet phone calls - "one phone number for all your phones for life" as GrandCentral noted.

The newly launched product will enable people to choose who's number gets forwarded to your cell phone or to voice mail. International calls will be for a small fee.

An interesting feature not offered by Skype is the ability to have your voicemail transcribed. The transcriptions can then be searched - a feature I am sure will get a lot of use.

Access to the new service should start soon - though apparently there are more than 15,000 people on the witing list as no new subscribers have been added since Google bought GrandCentral.

Posted by Frank Watson at 1:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

See More Posts From:

This Week | This Month

Incisive Interactive Marketing LLC. 2009 All rights reserved.

Legal Notices, Licensing, Reprints & Permissions

Privacy Policy
Affiliates

var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www."); document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E")); var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-564586-7"); pageTracker._setDomainName(".searchenginewatch.com"); pageTracker._trackPageview(); window.collarity_appid = "incmedia"; //> //>

Top Jobs

more Jobs