calling US & Canada for free from Gmail
Aug 25, 2010, 6:10 pm
#1
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calling US & Canada for free from Gmail
http://gmailblog.blogspot.com/2010/0...rom-gmail.html
Seems it is like Skype, you can call from PC to any US / Canada phone #s, and it's free in 2010.
I wonder if they'll charge for the feature in 2011.
It uses your Google Voice # if you have one set up already, as the phone # to call.
If you don't have a GV #, then it takes you to the GV account set up to choose a phone #.
Very interesting.
I wonder if there will be an option to use it on Android, for free VOIP calls (using data instead of minutes)...
And I wonder if you can use it to call US / Canada #s for free from outside of US / Canada.
Seems it is like Skype, you can call from PC to any US / Canada phone #s, and it's free in 2010.
I wonder if they'll charge for the feature in 2011.
It uses your Google Voice # if you have one set up already, as the phone # to call.
If you don't have a GV #, then it takes you to the GV account set up to choose a phone #.
Very interesting.
I wonder if there will be an option to use it on Android, for free VOIP calls (using data instead of minutes)...
And I wonder if you can use it to call US / Canada #s for free from outside of US / Canada.
Aug 25, 2010, 7:59 pm
#2
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It thought my iPad was a PowerPC when I tried unsuccessfully to install the Safari plugin :-) I'll stick with skype for the iPAd but free is free so 2 thumbs up on my Windoz PC's. Anyone remember dialpad?
Aug 26, 2010, 3:38 pm
#3
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As a heavy user of Google Voice, this is a really nice addition. I was using a Gizmo account to make SIP calls through GV. I think Google bought Gizmo, integrated them into GV, and now has re-branded and integrated them into Gmail.
In any case, with the mike and speakers on my laptop, it worked very well.
In any case, with the mike and speakers on my laptop, it worked very well.
Aug 27, 2010, 3:55 am
#4
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I've been using it since yesterday, and it's been working nicely for the calls I've made.
I'm probably going to take this as a good time as any to cut my use of a paid softphone plan from Vonage since I only used that for making calls and/or forwarding calls.
I'm probably going to take this as a good time as any to cut my use of a paid softphone plan from Vonage since I only used that for making calls and/or forwarding calls.
Aug 27, 2010, 3:59 am
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Aug 27, 2010, 1:10 pm
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Aug 27, 2010, 3:34 pm
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I am having some trouble with the feature in some of the incoming calls to the Gmail phone feature, but that is a function of the audio/mic in or audio/mic out connection failing somewhere along the line.
Last edited by GUWonder; Aug 27, 2010 at 3:40 pm
Aug 27, 2010, 3:40 pm
#9
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The press reports I read (sorry, I'm away and can't easily find the links) said that the service was US only, and there was a chance for international G-Mail users next year. The reports also said that owing to a glitch, the service was available to international users for a short time but that the glitch had been resolved.
It would indeed be useful for international users, but I don't think that GV is available yet in Europe, for example.
Aug 27, 2010, 3:51 pm
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Can you still do this?
The press reports I read (sorry, I'm away and can't easily find the links) said that the service was US only, and there was a chance for international G-Mail users next year. The reports also said that owing to a glitch, the service was available to international users for a short time but that the glitch had been resolved.
It would indeed be useful for international users, but I don't think that GV is available yet in Europe, for example.
The press reports I read (sorry, I'm away and can't easily find the links) said that the service was US only, and there was a chance for international G-Mail users next year. The reports also said that owing to a glitch, the service was available to international users for a short time but that the glitch had been resolved.
It would indeed be useful for international users, but I don't think that GV is available yet in Europe, for example.
I'll have to try it with a VPN to the US later to see if that works as well as it did 9 hours ago. [I wasn't using a VPN to the US at that time.]
Last edited by GUWonder; Aug 27, 2010 at 3:57 pm
Aug 27, 2010, 4:06 pm
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Can you still do this?
The press reports I read (sorry, I'm away and can't easily find the links) said that the service was US only, and there was a chance for international G-Mail users next year. The reports also said that owing to a glitch, the service was available to international users for a short time but that the glitch had been resolved.
It would indeed be useful for international users, but I don't think that GV is available yet in Europe, for example.
The press reports I read (sorry, I'm away and can't easily find the links) said that the service was US only, and there was a chance for international G-Mail users next year. The reports also said that owing to a glitch, the service was available to international users for a short time but that the glitch had been resolved.
It would indeed be useful for international users, but I don't think that GV is available yet in Europe, for example.
I would absolutely love to be able to use GV in Europe- can't even access my GV account on the website from there.
Aug 27, 2010, 4:19 pm
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I access my Google Voice account on the website in Europe every day I'm here -- which is more or less at least once a week on average -- and have no problems adjusting the settings on the website. That is how I turn on my Google Voice account to ring to my Vonage number which forwards to whatever local mobile phone number I am using in Europe. This has been working for quite some time and still does. I do this on the website at the google.com/voice link and a vonage.com page and it's no problem. Google charges nothing for this set-up while Vonage does charge me for the international call forwarding to a mobile phone.
Aug 29, 2010, 1:21 pm
#13
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I'm a light user of Google Voice and was happy when I heard "access" to it was now available on gMail. Regrettably, after I installed the Voice plug in on my 2008 Mac Book (Black, Intel) every time I logged into gMail, I got a kernel error requiring a complete shutdown/restart. So, I've disable the plug in and will, for now, just have to use the separate Google Voice web site. Not the end of the day, but frustrating as Google's services have always worked fine for me. Indeed, I've never had a kernel error until installing the Voice plug in.
Sep 3, 2010, 6:27 am
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Echoing GUWonder's experience, I've downloaded the application to my laptop and can call US numbers, presumably Canadian too. I called my own UK landline number and got the message that my 10¢ credit would last five minutes. 
I'm not sure whether I should have been able to do this (*), but I'm not complaining.
At 2¢ a minute for international calls, this would seem to beat Skype who offer similar rates but charge tax, a hefty add-on in the UK.
(*) FWIW, I have an @gmail.com address. Later UK applicants got @googlemail.co.uk because of a rights dispute.
I'm not sure whether I should have been able to do this (*), but I'm not complaining.At 2¢ a minute for international calls, this would seem to beat Skype who offer similar rates but charge tax, a hefty add-on in the UK.
(*) FWIW, I have an @gmail.com address. Later UK applicants got @googlemail.co.uk because of a rights dispute.
Sep 5, 2010, 3:13 pm
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Any recent changes to this calling feature?
Earlier this week (9/1-9/3) I was in Norway and happily called US numbers without a hitch through the Call option on my gmail account.
Today however I am in Austria and my gmail account DOES NOT SHOW any buttons for calling anybody. Have I suddenly gone blind or has there been a recent change?
Can anyone help?
Today however I am in Austria and my gmail account DOES NOT SHOW any buttons for calling anybody. Have I suddenly gone blind or has there been a recent change?
Can anyone help?