Google Voice thrown open to the hoi polloi

The internet behemoth confirmed Tuesday that its telephony management application that entails call-management, answering-machine, and internet-dialing service has been thrown open to all residents in the nation.

At present, there are 1 million people availing Google Voice accounts. The number is likely to swell big time as the Mountain View, California, based company has done away with the requirement asking potential users to receive an invite to sign up for the service.

Plethora of features
Google Voice Product Managers Craig Walker and Vincent Paquet wrote in an official blog post, "We're proud of the progress we've made with Google Voice over the last few years, and we're still just scratching the surface of what's possible when you combine your regular phone service with the latest web technology."

Google Voice is a free Web service that provides various remarkable features.

Voicemail message transcription, free calls to the United States and Canada, low international calling rates, conference call capability, and Web-based voicemail inbox are just some of the few features from the huge gamut of services that Google Voice promises to offer.

"With the focus on monetization in telephony shifting away from the actual voice services and minutes by carriers, it looks like that area may in time be ceded to IP-based voice services such as Google Voice," IDC analyst Hilwa said.

A subscriber to the service can get a new phone number. This single phone number, when called, has the capability to ring the person's multiple lines, such resident telephone line, office line and cellular phone as well.

Will take competition head on
People who do not intend to get the new single Google "phone number for life," have the option to use any of their existing lines.

"With the focus on monetization in telephony shifting away from the actual voice services and minutes by carriers, it looks like that area may in time be ceded to IP-based voice services such as Google Voice," IDC analyst Hilwa said.

Hilwa opines that Google Voice would take competitors like Skype, smartphones head-on.

"Availability of Google Voice on smartphones and other mobile platforms will put pressure on mobile carriers to further unbundle their services," Hilwa said.

In mid 2007, Google had acquired the core Voice technology when it tookover a company called GrandCentral. At that point of time, Google did not sign up new customers for the service.

Last year in March, the service was released, albeit only buy invitation. Now, Google intends to go full steam and fire in on all cylinders.