Is Google in the Process of Adding VoIP to Google Voice?
Whispers around the web are starting to build up a case for true VoIP support making its way to Google Voice in the very near future. Last week Gizmo5, a VoIP calling service, announced to its users that it would be shuttering its service come April 3rd and users would not be able to add calling credit to their account after this week. If you are wondering how that connects, Gizmo5 was acquired by Google back in 2009. As is the case with many startups bought out by larger companies, the end of the original service usually coincides with the launch of a new one.
Further suggesting the ability is slowly being built into Google Voice are reports that adding “@sip.voice.google.com” to the end of a GV number allows users to place VoIP calls to that number. The ability isn’t working for all, however.
We have a feeling it won’t be too much longer until we see the capabilities emerge, at which point Google Voice will be an online calling service to be reckoned with. VoIP has been long rumored as an addition to a service already featuring number portability, visual voicemail, and SMS functions, and should please more than a few GV subscribers.
[via BGR]