Google Voice Launching Any Day Now: Be Ready to Reserve Your Phone Number!

The quietly anticipated Google Voice suite (formerly known as GrandCentral) is set to go live any day now.

Gizmodo reports that Google has reserved 1 million new phone numbers from Level 3 communications.

An article by Adam Mills of the Charlotte Examiner points out this twitter update by one of the Google Voice Founders who states they are working 24/7 to get it released!

Just What is Google Voice?

Using VoIP technology (this means any mobile device, even your iPod), users will be able to route all their phone calls from any mobile device as well as send and manage SMS text and voice mail through one central web based location.

Google Voice will also feature all the bells and whistles you’d expect from a Google app, like these examples…

Voicemail transcripts – Read what your voicemail says
Share voicemail – Forward or download voicemails
Conference calling – Join people into a single call
Call record – Record calls and store them online
GOOG-411 – Check directory assistance
Block calls – Keep unwanted callers at bay
Phone routing – Phones ring based on who calls
Forwarding phones – Add phones and decide which ring

Goodbye Phone Contracts. Hello VoIP!

The outlook is bleak for the phone carriers of today. VoIP and WiFi hot spots will soon replace these ghastly cell contracts and finally open the mobile web to the masses.

SecondLife virtual world has generated over 15 billion minutes in free online voice calls in just under 2 years and wildly popular Skype has reportedly played host to 200 billion minutes in it’s 6 years in operation.

Here is a quick video demo of some Google Voice iPhone features in action.

Will There Be A Google Voice Phone Number Land Rush?

This could be an opportunity to pick up an awesome phone number for your online business!

You can sign up to receive an email alert when Google Voice goes live at the Voice home page.

Since signing up will require a unique Google account to claim a Voice phone number, I think this phone number rush will be comparable to the recent Facebook username rush. (Where I scored facebook.com/MarkFulton!)

It is also likely that you will not be able to choose the digits of your phone number, but who knows? We’ll have to wait and see!

I will be looking out for the launch announcement email, you may want to do the same and tell your friends and associates.