Google Voice allows you to pick a new Google number or port in an existing wireless number. You can not port an existing landline number or a business phone number. Then when you receive phone calls with your Google number, you can configure Google Voice to ring a number of different phones, including your cell phone, home phone, or Web application. This allows you to have your calls follow you wherever you go, like a virtual phone service would be. Google Voice can also offer an enhanced voicemail service, including email transcripts of your voicemail, visual voicemail, and Gmail notifications for text messages. Call the US and Canada is currently free (although Google does not guarantee that the price will continue beyond 2012), and Google offers cheap calls to many countries worldwide.
However, in addition to not allow the porting of fixed numbers and companies, Google Voice warns consumers that it is not a complete telephone service, and lacks some basic features included with VoIP or service traditional telephone. Here are the limits that we consider most important:
- No 911 Perhaps most importantly, Google Voice can not make or receive calls with emergency services (911 calls). Google described the service as an "enhanced call management application", and as such does not provide E911 service. If you try to call 911 via Google Voice, the service notifies you that there is not a valid number.
- No MMS Service Users replacing cell service with Google Voice will quickly discover that the service does not support MMS. This means that you will not be able to text messages or photographs of videos to other users.
- Limited support: Currently, the Google Voice support is "best effort", which means that Google does its best to provide service and support for users, but no guarantee no specific reliability and provide phone, email, or chat support beyond the support offered in its forums. This is great for those who use Google Voice to complete the phone service with advanced existing features, but will be a serious limitation to anyone who tries to use the service for all telephone needs.
Bottom line, even Google does not promote Google Voice as a full service telephone option, but rather a way to improve your existing service. If you are looking for a better management of voice messages or a way to have a phone number ring through all of your phones, Google Voice could be the way to go. If you want to replace your existing phone service with a low cost alternative, you should probably turn to a full service VoIP.
If you have further questions about VoIP, check out some of our detailed comments, the comparison chart, the FAQ, or previous blog posts. You can also leave us questions and comments below.