Post image for Google Voice App Just Killed the Telcos and Skype

Google Voice App Just Killed the Telcos and Skype

by Jorge Escobar on July 15, 2009

Forget Google Wave; The Google Voice Application for Android and Blackberry (with an iPhone version on the way) will be the communications revolution that will engrain Google into our daily lives.

Om Malik puts it right: Meet Google, Your Phone Company.

Why is it that revolutionary? It’s all in one little dialogue that pops up when you’re setting up your phone, which has three options (I will change the order for dramatic purposes):

  • Do not use Google Voice for any calls (Acees Google Voice messages only)
  • Only use Google Voice for international calls (Get low-priced international call rates)
  • Use Google Voice for all calls (Display your Google Voice number as called ID)

Yes, the last option means that your mobile line becomes the least important part of your cell phone. It’s just the dumb pipe to connect you to Google Voice. If I were to port my cell phone number to Google Voice (which will be an option soon) I would be able to switch phone companies without any regret, because Google Voice is now my main switchboard.

Skype is also affected, as any calls I make that are international, can be “trapped” by the application and rerouted through Google Voice, with rates that are similar to Skype’s and very good call quality.

This is all seamless. You still dial numbers as you normally do. The Google Voice application is smart to take it from there.

You can also send free SMS messages from the application, which means I can cancel my SMS plan as of today.

This is really a big hit to the whole telecommunications ecosystem. Google has just become your telephone company.

androidgooglevoice

Update: Here’s the official Google Blog announcement about it, as well as a video explaining how the app works.

Tagged as: business, googlevoice, mobile

60 Comments 8 Comments 17 Tweets

{ 1 trackback }

Google Voice on your iPhone, BlackBerry or Android Smartphone
July 16, 2009 at 11:29 pm

{ 85 comments… read them below or add one }

Grunt Ape July 15, 2009 at 10:35 am

Interesting. Alas, US-bound for ages ahead.

This comment was originally posted on FriendFeed

Reply   More from author

Jorge "Pitchfork" Escobar July 15, 2009 at 11:02 am

I know the feeling, it’s something that will eventually go to other countries I’m sure.

This comment was originally posted on FriendFeed

Reply   More from author

Edward Zwart July 15, 2009 at 11:10 am

Sadly true Grunt Ape

This comment was originally posted on FriendFeed

Reply   More from author

Mike Chelen July 15, 2009 at 11:11 am

placing calls that appear as coming from the gvoice number (in caller id) has been one remaining difficulty, it sounds like this will help address that

This comment was originally posted on FriendFeed

Reply   More from author

Mike Chelen July 15, 2009 at 11:11 am

placing calls that appear as coming from the gvoice number in caller id has been one remaining difficulty, it sounds like this will help address that

This comment was originally posted on FriendFeed

Reply   More from author

Jorge "Pitchfork" Escobar July 15, 2009 at 11:12 am

I’m from Latin America and I would read these things in magazines and would be jealous of the things I’d read. Things are better now though, in terms of how globalization is making it more of a level playfield.

This comment was originally posted on FriendFeed

Reply   More from author

Roberto Bonini July 15, 2009 at 11:13 am

Heck, I’d pay for this. You have any idea the confusion that ensues when you mixyour business and private lines up?? Hope it comes to the UK soon.

This comment was originally posted on FriendFeed

Reply   More from author

Matthew DeVries July 15, 2009 at 11:20 am

Ok, so will Google Voice calls reach my cell phone, even if I’m not in a 2G/Edge/3G/Wifi zone? Just from standard digitial voice connection?

This comment was originally posted on FriendFeed

Reply   More from author

Jorge "Pitchfork" Escobar July 15, 2009 at 11:23 am

Well Google Voice will ring one or many phones based on rules you set. The incoming part of it is pretty straightforward, and it’s done via regular phone lines. The revolutionary thing here is the outgoing calls from your cell. When you have the GV app sitting on your cell, the outgoing call is routed via regular cell phone line to GV and then GV calls your party, so it’s kind of a ‘virtual receptionist’. And you don’t have to open the app or anything, it’s done automatically for you.

This comment was originally posted on FriendFeed

Reply   More from author

Mike Chelen July 15, 2009 at 11:25 am

Matthew, yep, because the app uses the regular voice connection for outgoing calls. the voicemail inbox interface and address book require data connection though.

This comment was originally posted on FriendFeed

Reply   More from author

Mike Chelen July 15, 2009 at 11:25 am

Matthew, yep, because the app uses the regular voice connection for outgoing calls. the voicemail inbox and address book require data connection though.

This comment was originally posted on FriendFeed

Reply   More from author

Matthew DeVries July 15, 2009 at 11:28 am

Mike, does the address book cache locally?

This comment was originally posted on FriendFeed

Reply   More from author

Jorge "Pitchfork" Escobar July 15, 2009 at 11:31 am

Matthew, it’s based on your Google contacts on my G1 so yes. Don’t know about the BlackBerry

This comment was originally posted on FriendFeed

Reply   More from author

Matthew DeVries July 15, 2009 at 11:34 am

AHH!!!! SMS’s are now going to both my phone and the Voice App, and Voice website, three different sounds in my office for every message. People are freaking out, what do I have wrong?

This comment was originally posted on FriendFeed

Reply   More from author

Matthew DeVries July 15, 2009 at 11:36 am

Will SMS sent to the google voice number arrive without a data connection?

This comment was originally posted on FriendFeed

Reply   More from author

Matthew DeVries July 15, 2009 at 11:36 am

Will SMS sent to the google voice number arrive without a data connection to the Voice app?

This comment was originally posted on FriendFeed

Reply   More from author

Mike Chelen July 15, 2009 at 11:46 am

Matthew, Jorge, on the blackberry it uses the phone’s address book too, and the list of recent calls and voicemails is cached, listening to one the first time requires a data connection, after that it has been downloaded and can be replayed with the connection off. haven’t tested SMS yet

This comment was originally posted on FriendFeed

Reply   More from author

randulo July 15, 2009 at 12:14 pm

There will be a lot of this kind of thing in the near future. If you can’t get a Google Voice account right away, go get a free number and 2,000 free USA minutes at http://sipgate.com – More companies will be offering these services by 2010, including apps for iPhone et al..

This comment was originally posted on FriendFeed

Reply   More from author

Apostol Apostolov July 15, 2009 at 12:16 pm

Eventually all urban voice communication will move online, with 3G being shoved towards rurual, outside-metro regions.

This comment was originally posted on FriendFeed

Reply   More from author

Brian Bufalo July 15, 2009 at 12:47 pm

I am so stocked! I’ve been a GrandCentral user for a year or two and can’t wait for this to come to the iPhone.

This comment was originally posted on FriendFeed

Reply   More from author

Matthew DeVries July 15, 2009 at 12:54 pm

Crazy question. I dial 911 on my phone right now, at the very least the dispatcher knows what tower I’m calling from and what city I’m in, and usually knows if highway patrol or local should be getting the call. If Google talk is managing my calls (such that people see my google talk number on Caller ID) what 911 dispatcher gets the call? Will they be even remotely local?

This comment was originally posted on FriendFeed

Reply   More from author

Jorge "Pitchfork" Escobar July 15, 2009 at 1:19 pm

That’s a very interesting question Matthew — I am sure the Telco still passes the real information on some metadata level, but more telco-heavy users might want to chime in on this one.

This comment was originally posted on FriendFeed

Reply   More from author

Tad, Anti-Immanentizer July 15, 2009 at 1:55 pm

That IS a great question…

This comment was originally posted on FriendFeed

Reply   More from author

David Chartier July 15, 2009 at 1:56 pm

The fact that you still NEED some kind of line from a telco makes this irrelevant. I love my Google Voice number, I’ve been using it since Grand Central. But this in no way negates the telcos. At the end of the day, you’re still giving AT&T/Verizon/T-Mobile your cash.

This comment was originally posted on FriendFeed

Reply   More from author

Jorge "Pitchfork" Escobar July 15, 2009 at 2:00 pm

David, I agree, but the bread and butter for Telcos are the value-added services. If I ask T-Mobile that I don’t want voicemail or a bunch of the other stuff and that I only want a voice/data line, I could see them suffering business wise, don’t you think?

This comment was originally posted on FriendFeed

Reply   More from author

Christian Burns July 15, 2009 at 3:13 pm

If you use tmobile and choose your google voice number as a "my faves" number, you basicly have unlimited minutes if used correctly.

This comment was originally posted on FriendFeed

Reply   More from author

Tad, Anti-Immanentizer July 15, 2009 at 3:35 pm

Also, remember that now there’s no good reason to pay the telcos any money for SMS. That’s a big deal and where a lot of their profit comes from. My guess is they realized this was coming a while back and have other nefarious ways to suck our money.

This comment was originally posted on FriendFeed

Reply   More from author

Rodfather July 15, 2009 at 3:39 pm

If you have a Gizmo app running, you can get free calls that way

This comment was originally posted on FriendFeed

Reply   More from author

Charbax July 15, 2009 at 3:50 pm

Does Google Talk work to call anyone on Google Voice for free?

This comment was originally posted on FriendFeed

Reply   More from author

Charbax July 15, 2009 at 3:50 pm

Does Google Talk work to call anyone on Google Voice for free? I’d rather just have Google Talk type of VOIP app on my phone, using only the data plan and call the world for free using that, and get Google Voice applications on top of that for VOIP stuff.

This comment was originally posted on FriendFeed

Reply   More from author

Jorge "Pitchfork" Escobar July 15, 2009 at 4:03 pm

VOIP on a mobile is not a great idea, sound quality would be hell. I think the way it works now is perfect. At some point Skype mobile worked like that and it was horrible.

This comment was originally posted on FriendFeed

Reply   More from author

Jorge "Pitchfork" Escobar July 15, 2009 at 4:03 pm

VOIP on a mobile is not a great idea, sound quality is not very good. I think the way it works now is perfect. At some point Skype mobile worked like that and it was horrible.

This comment was originally posted on FriendFeed

Reply   More from author

Charbax July 15, 2009 at 4:08 pm

VOIP should be the best quality. I see no reason for VOIP not working on mobile devices. Bandwidth for VOIP can be higher thus provide even better sound quality and be totally free.

This comment was originally posted on FriendFeed

Reply   More from author

Jorge "Pitchfork" Escobar July 15, 2009 at 4:09 pm

Totally free with the exception of the data plan with the carrier you mean…

This comment was originally posted on FriendFeed

Reply   More from author

Charbax July 15, 2009 at 4:13 pm

Data plans are $20 per month for up to 20GB per month on HSDPA in Europe.. That’s the only thing I want to pay for my unlocked HSDPA Android phone. Also, the $20 data plans are pre-paid each month, they are not 2 year contracts.

This comment was originally posted on FriendFeed

Reply   More from author

randulo July 15, 2009 at 4:16 pm

charbax what company is this?

This comment was originally posted on FriendFeed

Reply   More from author

Tyson Key July 15, 2009 at 4:17 pm

Hmm, are they planning on making a Skype client for Android, any time soon?

This comment was originally posted on FriendFeed

Reply   More from author

Jorge "Pitchfork" Escobar July 15, 2009 at 4:17 pm

There is one already.

This comment was originally posted on FriendFeed

Reply   More from author

Charbax July 15, 2009 at 4:17 pm

All companies in most European countries do this. At least in northern europe, you get such flatrate pre-paid only HSDPA data sim cards. Ready to put in any USB modem, netbook or I prefer, directly in pocketable Android tablets for DATA-ONLY usage.

This comment was originally posted on FriendFeed

Reply   More from author

Charbax July 15, 2009 at 4:19 pm

Skype on Android http://share.skype.com/sites/skypegear/2009/01/video_skype_lite_on_android.html

This comment was originally posted on FriendFeed

Reply   More from author

Tyson Key July 15, 2009 at 4:19 pm

Thanks, Charbax.

This comment was originally posted on FriendFeed

Reply   More from author

Leave a Comment

Additional comments powered by BackType

Previous post:

Next post: