San Francisco — Google Voice has created a buzz for a while now, but since its inception, the service has been open to only a limited number of users. Google on Tuesday in a blog post said that it will now allow Google Voice testers to invite “friends and family” to join the service.
According to Google, Voice users have been requesting to “share Google Voice with friends and family.” To fulfill their request, the company said, in the next few weeks, it will gradually add an “invite a friend” link to the left-hand side of Voice users’ in-boxes.
So, when a user wishes to invite a friend, they only need to enter the recipient’s e-mail address, append a short message, and send it off. The recipient will receive the message and a link allowing them to sign up for the innovative (and free) service that offers a plethora of telephony features, including the ability to divert all of your home, mobile, and work calls through a single number, as well as record calls, and read transcriptions of voicemails.
Google Voice invites in action. (Credit: Google)
Google will initially provide Voice users with three invites, but that number will expand in the future, Google said in a blog post. The service continues to remain in private testing.
Google said that additional invitations will be allotted in the future. The service itself is still invite-only, but people without a Google Voice hookup can request an invite at google.com/voiceinvite.
The company said that invited friends may not receive access immediately because the service expansion will be gradual.
Google Voice, which has recently been in the news headlines over its inability to gain access to Apple’s App Store, besides being accused by AT&T of evading FCC rules regarding call connections. Late last week, the Federal Communications Commission announced that it would investigate AT&T’s claims.
Google denies any wrongdoing while addressing AT&T’s complaint, Google’s telecom and media counsel Richard Whitt differentiated Google Voice from AT&T’s voice service in part by stating, “Google Voice is currently invitation-only, serving a limited number of users.”
Nevertheless, it is good to see that the ongoing soap opera between the FCC, Apple, AT&T, and Google over Google Voice hasn’t slowed the search giant’s determination to promote its clever phone service.
Google has until Wednesday, October 28, to respond to the more recent FCC inquiry.