Google Voice made its debut on March 11, 2009 in the United States. It was designed to provide a telecommunications service to its users that would enable them to call worldwide anytime at a low cost. Additionally, PC-to-phone calls are available with no fees. This service assigns a US phone number, selected by the user from a list of available numbers in their area code.

This new system was the brainchild of Craig Walker and Vincent Paquet that founded GrandCentral in 2005. Google acquired the company on July 2, 2007, for 95 million dollars. This proved to be a wise move for GrandCentral since there had been numerous reports of poor customer service and lack of information from the system. Not much was heard about Google taking over and the system remained as it had until its debut was made in 2009. The system had been reworked in secret for nearly two years to perfect the problems with the technology used by GrandCentral and to present expanded services.

The features of Google Voice were expansive although they did keep the original outline of the GrandCentral's idea. A forwarding number provided by Google can be transmitted to all of the user's phones, there are up to three hours of unlimited free calls and text messaging throughout the US and Canada and international calling can be done at a low rate beginning at .02 per minute. Screening your phone calls through Google Voice is simple. You can either listen in on a phone message being left on your phone and pick it up if it is someone you wish to speak to or have the phone number displayed of the caller. Reverse phone lookup is also an option from your mobile phone by being able to access Internet search.

Since the Google Voice begins with your PC, you can send, receive and even store text messages on your computer. Listening to voicemail online or through your phone is another feature as well as being notified of voicemail messages via email or text. Conference calling, viewing your web inbox from a phone or mobile device and setting personalized greetings based on each calling number are available services as well.

Call blocking through Google Voice is fantastic news for cell phone users that may receive phone calls and messages that only use up space and minutes. Using reverse phone lookup through the web and verifying that certain numbers need to be blocked can help you set this application on your Google Voice and never be bothered with unwanted phone calls again.

Users of Gmail will be happy to hear that on August 26, 2010, the Gmail inbox was integrated into the Google Voice system so voicemails can now be heard through your Gmail inbox account. If you never knew that you could utilize sound and cameras through your computer with others, it can be downloaded with the help of a voice and video chat plugin. Cameras, microphones and speakers are installed on your system's browsers making it possible to utilize communications more easily. The Gmail transition should be totally transitioned by the end of 2010 and available to any Google Apps customers.

Although Google Voice is not of a VoIP status, many believe that this may be the main reason for Google's purchase of GrandCentral. If Google were able to expand this technology by utilizing VoIP, they would be considered a major player among Apple, BlackBerry and other mobile manufacturers. Additionally, Google would be able to intertwine the Gizmo 5 and create a way for mobile calls to be routed over the Internet without costing you a dime. Everything free that the Internet now offers, such as reverse phone lookup would be right at your fingertips via your cell phone.

The Google Nexus One Android-based cell phone was announced earlier this year but with less pizzazz than one would imagine. Rumored as being the future iPhone killer, the fanfare is slow in building. Perhaps Google is once again building a technologically advanced system behind closed doors and are planning to make a huge announcement when everything has been tested and perfected, just as they did with GrandCentral. The Nexus One is already free of restrained carriers, fully unlocked and available to be set up with any service or application the user sees fit to use.

Anyone that is paying attention to the future of Google and Google voice will recognize a grand plan taking place. Already Google Gmail users have the ability to integrate Google voice and Android's web browser in order to download information or make phone calls without having to pay a premium to phone providers. Mobile phone providers have to be getting nervous over what new technology is in store for them when Google steps on stage with an advanced Google voice. The iPhone has already made noise about the integration of their service into their models but not much came from it. Google knows that the entire telecommunications sector is becoming worried and is ready to defend its hard work.

December 17, 2010 brought an announcement from Google concerning a new program for Google voice that now clarifies a user's voice, making verbal commands dramatically more effective in e-mails and the Internet. It should not come as a surprise that Google also purchased Phonetic Arts, a British company that specializes in speech output. Little by little, Google's plan is growing.