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July 9, 2009

More Google Voice accounts starting to roll-out?

If you just look at Twitter, dozens and dozens of people today are tweeting about recently receiving an invitation to launch their new Google Voice accounts.

Google Voice, as you may know, is Google's revamping of the Grand Central phone app that the company bought a few years back. Google lets you use one phone number to manage multiple phone numbers. Some think it'll be revolutionary. Check out the list of goodies it promises to offer us, such as free voicemail transcription and answering any of your multiple phone lines (home, work, cell) on one phone.

I'm wondering if the big roll-out wave has finally begun. Can anybody help confirm? I know Google started sending out invites to some in late June. Is this just another big batch of invites, or the whole enchilada?

Baltimorean Patrick Knight sent me a copy of his invite. Here it is below:

You are invited to open a free Google Voice account.

To accept this invitation and create your account, visit https://www.google.com/voice/

If you haven't already heard about it, Google Voice is a service that makes using your current phones much better!

Here's what it offers:

• A personal phone number that rings all of your existing phones when people call

• All of your voicemail in one inbox with unlimited online storage and free voicemail transcripts sent to your phone and email • Low-priced international calling to over 200 countries and free SMS

• Other powerful features like the first phone spam filter to protect you from unwanted callers, the ability to ListenInTM on your voicemail messages while they are being left, conference calling and more

To learn more about Google Voice before registering, visit: http://www.google.com/voice/about Please note that Google Voice is only available for sign up in the US.

We hope you enjoy Google Voice,

The Google Voice Team


This is an archived version of the technology blog. For updated coverage, see the current baltTech location: baltimoresun.com/balttech
Posted by Gus Sentementes at 11:07 AM | | Comments (17)
Categories: Apps, Social Media, Web Dev & Apps
        

Comments

I don't think this is the whole enchilada yet. I have been on the waiting list since March and I haven't received an invite yet. Hopefully soon...

I thought I was early getting my request in on the invitation list. But still no invite for me. I think I signed up around the time Grand Central converted to Google Voice.

There were reports that everyone who had signed up for an invite had been invited at the end of June, but that wasn't accurate !

In late June they were on the news saying check your email! invites are going out!
I think fifty invites went out.
Still waiting...

I signed up for Google Voice invitation back in February. Haven't heard a word.

I got mine today around 6:00pm CST

I've had grand central for years, now google voice. A great service. I will never have to give people another number, rings both my home and cell phones. I love it.

I wonder if they are not rolling this out on a regional basis. It sure doe not seem it is being rolled out on a first sign up first serve basis.

Yes, I was wondering the same thing. I'd love to get the inside scoop on how they're actually handling it, so it doesn't overwhelm their systems. -gs

Got mine about 3:00PM Today (7/10/09)

I got an email about it, and it took about 5 minutes to set up. Didn't know anything about it before hand, but maybe since I use the gmail for company google alerts—we get a lot—flagged us. No 212 or 718 area codes were available (Brooklyn NY), but tons of 347 were, and some good ones. Your number (you can change it) can ring wherever you want, and they'll hook you up for free anywhere in the US. Might encourage us to drop Vonage.

I just got mine today biiiiiiitches!

Got mine last night. I did get mine much earlier than others and I wont give away how I did it but I would like to say so far amazing.

Suposition here that they need equipment in each area code to receive the POTS calls. That would imply they would need a roll-out schedule as they get the equipment installed.

Caveat: when you sign up, you choose a phone number. I accidentally (?) chose one which is long-distance from home, and there's a $10 charge to change it.

I received the invitation on the 7th. I've been testing, and so far, so good. Making outgoing calls is not that great, but I'm hoping that the experience will improve as I add additional contacts.

anyone have any spare google voice invite?

I've had my account since the GrandCentral days, but haven't used it much. I'm now being offered the chance to change my number, and am considering doing so, but to another area code in order to get a "vanity" number.

Wondering whether, in this world of "free" long distance (particularly from cell phones) whether an out-of-state area code would unduly throw off callers, particularly if I was to put this out-of-state number on a resume?

we got our Google voice back in June., we started to publish our Google voice number on our blog,twitter, and Facebook. We love Google voice

Can someone please invite me I, I really need one. I'm in the military and this would really help me communicate with my family since we are apart. my email is joshuafree@gmail.com

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About Gus G. Sentementes
Gus G. Sentementes (@gussent on Twitter) has been writing for The Baltimore Sun since 2000. He's covered real estate, business, prisons, and suburban and Baltimore City crime and cops. He was one of the first reporters at The Sun to use multimedia tools and Web applications -- a video camera, an iPhone -- to cover breaking news. He hopes to cover Maryland geeks and the gadgets and Web sites they build, and learn -- and share -- something new every day.

Gus has a wife, a young daughter and two feuding cats. They live in Northeast Baltimore.
This is an archived version of the technology blog. For updated coverage, see the current baltTech location: baltimoresun.com/balttech
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