What is Google Voice?

It’s free on Google’s end of things. You’re still using minutes on your cell phone so it depends on how your phone plays with it on how free it actually is.

One step closer to Google becoming the Matrix.

It is free to use their services, but you still need to pay for your own cell phone. Google Voice lets you set custom voice mail messages for individual people, and it emails you every time you have a voicemail, among a host of other features.

Google Voice FAQ

It’s primarily a convenience. You get assigned one telephone number that, when called, rings all your phones (home, mobile, car, etc.) recognizes the caller from your contact list and allows you to screen the call, take the call, leave a special message for a particular caller or group of callers, or allow it to go to a special voicemail which sends an email containing a transcript of the voice message to your email box. You can also send SMS and MMS messages to any mobile phone from your computer through Google Voice, with no charges per message.

I’m waiting for Google Thought to tell me what I should think about it all.

With an unlimited data plan and a calling circle plan you CAN send and receive calls that don’t eat your minutes. I don’t use a calling circle plan so only my incoming calls that are routed through Google Voice are free.

I give out my Google Voice number to people or websites that I’d rather not have my TRUE cell phone number, which I’ve had for 10 years.

I enjoy getting the transcribed voicemails even when they aren’t accurate. Saves me from having to call in and retrieve them.

I chose a Google Voice number in the area code where most of my family still lives, several of them still with land lines. Now when they call my GV number, its a local call for them instead of long distance.

Google Voice is really great. Here’s a video explaining what it is.

I just wish it was in Canada already :’(