Google Voice: What is it and how can I use it?
We’ve all been hearing a lot of news about Google Voice lately and those who haven’t been following every single development may be a bit confused about the service. What exactly does Google Voice do? Is it VoIP? A phone redirecting service? Voicemail? We’re hoping this short guide on Google Voice will enlighten you a little on the service and why you might want to use it when it becomes available to the general public.
Before Google acquired the service in 2007, Google Voice used to be GrandCentral, a service that essentially worked as a personal switchboard operator. It let users register a number that can be redirected to ring multiple phones, as well as collect messages, listen to voicemail, and tell a specific number that your phone number is no longer in service (perfect for those avoiding stalkers). When Google bought GrandCentral and relaunched it as Google Voice, they did more than just put a pretty logo on it; they’ve added a couple of useful features and made it into a must-have for early adapters who could use the service by invitation or as a former GrandCentral user. Let’s take a look at what Google Voice can do.
Calls
The most basic calling service offered by Google Voice is call forwarding. You can forward calls to as many numbers as you like, and forward them to other phones depending on who’s calling. You can also set certain individuals or groups to get automatically redirected to your voicemail, spam folder, or block the call. Google Voice also lets you screen callers and give you the option to answer or send them to voicemail, which is useful for numbers you don’t recognize or when you’re too busy to pick up. As they leave the voicemail message, you can listen to what they’re saying and pick up if it appears to be an important call.
Another nifty feature is that users register phone numbers from any area code as well as get vanity numbers, e.g. words that your number can spell out. The disadvantage is that you can’t port an existing number you have to Google Voice.
Voicemail
The most interesting feature offered by Google voice’s voicemail is that it automatically transcribes voicemail messages and sends the transcription either through e-mail or text message. Not only is this far more efficient than listening to the message repeatedly to get the details, but it also provides users with a written record you can keep to look at later on. Of course, the transcription isn’t entirely accurate, but you can fill in the blanks through the context of the message. And if you really have to, you can just listen to the recorded message itself.
SMS and other features
SMS messages received work similar to how calls are handled; you have the option to have the message sent to one or more mobile phones. When you reply to the message, your reply will be sent from your Google Voice number even if you sent it from your phone, thus protecting your privacy. Another cool part is that you can receive SMS messages right from the Google Voice web interface, which is very useful if you’re always in front of a computer. You can also archive your SMS on the website for easy search and retrieval.
There’s no news about whether or not these services will remain free when Google Voice is finally launched to the public. Based on their other services, it seems unlikely that Google will charge regular users for Google Voice; they’ll probably monetize it by creating a Google Voice version for businesses. If you manage to get an invite to use Google Voice, try it out if only for the voicemail transcribing and call filtering features.