How Google Voice Works, and a Few Reasons to Use It

Are you a bit confused about what Google Voice is? Maybe it's because you've heard people talk about this service called Grand Central, a service that lets you route all calls to "you" (all of your phone numbers) and manage and sort them, but then you've also heard that Google has released a VoIP solution that is free and sure to kill Skype and Vonage. So which one is it?

Well, it's both.

One of the really unique things that Google Voice does (as explained in the video below) is it offers a central hub where you can have all calls route to. And then, you can add a lot of logic to where the calls go from there. So for instance, if anyone calls you during working hours, it rings on your work phone; during the evening, your home phone; at night, your cell phone (for emergencies). Or you could have certain people that you don't want to talk to automatically route to voicemail, have just family go to your cell, etc. It's whatever works for you.

But the other side of Google Voice is the more traditional VoIP system, which lets you call someone else and talk to them verbally through a computer microphone. This is the part of Google Voice that people are calling a Skype killer. One of the unique advantages to Google Voice, though, is that you can call landline phones and cell phones through your computer using VoIP. (On a related note, is Google Voice a Skype killer? See what users are saying on Skype's forum.) 

So should you try out Google Voice? Here's a few reasons to:

While the service is primarily targeted at consumers, I can see some potential conveniences for business users as well. Though, as with any cloud solution, there is a degree of risk should the service go down temporarily, as you would be temporarily unreachable. 

Visit the Google Voice page to learn more, and let me know what you think via Twitter or email. 

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