by Olivia Kay

Created on: November 30, 2009

Would you find it convenient to only have one phone number to give to your family, friends, and co-workers? Would you like the option to read your voicemail like you read email? Would it be nice to customize your voicemail greetings for various people who regularly call you? If you answered yes to any of the previous three questions, Google Voice may be just what you are looking for.

Google Voice, a telecommunications system that evolved from a previous system known as Grand Central and officially launched on March 11, 2009, puts you in control of your telephone system and offers you options that are unavailable through most phone and cell-phone companies providing service in the United States today.

With Google Voice you can group all of your contacts in any way that best meets your needs, assign different ringtones to groups or individuals, determine which phone or phones will ring when each contact calls, and truly connect your phones to your computer creating your own personal telecommunications system.

Domestic calls within the United States and Canada are free to make and receive through Google Voice; however sign up for the service is currently only available through invitation. Anyone is welcome to sign up for the invitation list although the time it will take for them to get an invitation may vary and is not guaranteed within a certain time frame.

Both existing phone numbers and designated Google phone numbers can be used with the Google Voice system, although a Google number offers a user a great deal more options. One free Google phone number is available with each free Google Voice account. Users manage and maintain their accounts online through a system similar to e-mail. They configure all of their existing phone numbers to ring when the Google number is dialed or just certain numbers to ring when certain callers call in, whichever they choose.

Many additional options are offered to Google Voice users such as caller history/ identification, call screening, the ability to block unwanted calls, conference calling, different voicemail greetings for different callers, the conversion of voicemail to text that can be read online, the ability to record calls, the opportunity to send, receive, and store text messages online, and the power to move received calls from one configured phone number to another during a call. International calls can be made and received with Google Voice however they are not free of charge; they are billed based upon a schedule listed on their website which varies by country and length of the calls. For the most part, international rates for Google Voice are lower than many other available international calling plans.

In summary, Google Voice is an excellent new telecommunications system that gives users a great deal of control over and options involving their various phones and phone numbers. They gain the flexibility of using one phone number to reach many numbers and the convenience of being able to read voice and text messages online. Google voice is likely to make further enhancements and become more accessible to the general public in the coming weeks, months, and years.

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