As if many of us needed another reason to ditch your landline (mine is gone), Google announced on Wednesday that customers will now be able to make phone calls through their G-Mail accounts! If you have a G-Mail account you will now be able to make free calls domestically and to Canada using their computers built in speaker and microphone, or alternatively with a headset. Google continues to position itself as your all in one communications tool.
I imagine this will drive some folks to stick their landline phones up in the attic, but may also challenge other online services such as Vonage and Skype.
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For some people it would cost more to not have a landline because Dish Network charges a fee when you don’t have a phone or DSL line connected to the DVR.
I never knew GMail had a hyphen in it.
Steve:
It also has 4 “M”s and a silent “Q”.
You can also make free long distance calls WITH your landline using Google. I tried this out last year when it first came out. Pretty cool!
When I had Dish Network installed, I simply told the installer there was no phone line in the room where the box was installed. He called into the office and verified it, and they waived the fee for not being connected to the land line. They want you connected so you can more easily order a movie.
Google came out with this gmail phone stuff one week after we installed Ooma. Ooma works great and the only monthly fee is $3.45 government fees & taxes.
Thanks for the heads up. Got my Google Voice account. For me, I see no need to make out-bound Google calls, because of my cell phone. I forwarded my new Google number to my cell phone and now I do not need my land-line. Home and cell calls go to my cell.
I made a test and had my brother call me, and I was very surprised that there is ZERO lag and no echo, at all.
You can use the google voice call phone feature in any country:
http://www.allurewebsolutions.com/callphone