Google Voice Getting Ready for Launch

Google is getting set to launch Google Voice, a service built with technology obtained through its 2007 acquisition of GrandCentral. The Google Voice service will give you one phone number that can route calls to your existing phones.

Google Voice will have its own voicemail that can be accessed from any phone or through a browser, with additional archiving features for audio messages.

The Google Voice service launched in March for testing with a limited audience of existing GrandCentral users. Google introduced several impressive features like automatic message transcription and free SMS delivery. Transcription converts all voicemails to text, and also makes them searchable. The service can also forward voicemail transcripts right to your e-mail.

Google might be getting ready to open the service to a larger audience. Reports indicate that Google has recently obtained over one million new phone numbers from backbone operator Level 3. PC World speculates that the number grab could be a prelude to the full public launch of Google Voice, but it was unable to get official confirmation from the search giant. There are also reports that Google will offer number portability, enabling consumers to move their existing phone numbers to Google’s new service.