What is Google Voice And How Does it Work

Do you know what Google Voice is? Have you ever used it? Let's see what it is and how it works. Google Voice is a unified platform to communicate across the globe. Google has developed it as a voicemail service that facilitates several free benefits, including making phone calls, sending text messages, customizing & reading voicemails, and much more. Most importantly, Google Voice allows you to call on several phone numbers at a time using a single number.

If you think Google Voice is VoIP or Voice over Internet Protocol service, you are wrong as it is not a complete VoIP service. It only uses VoIP technology to provide some advanced features to users, including making international calls at an affordable rate, making domestic calls for free, and doing some more things.

You get a different phone number when you use Google Voice. You can use this number to forward incoming calls to a smartphone or any other phone. There is also a different way to use Google Voice by porting your mobile number on Google Voice Service. This way, you can make that number a Google number. But while using this facility, you have to be cautious.

How Google Voice works

Google Voice uses cell phone networks and landline telephone networks to make phone calls. In short, it uses PSTN or Public Switched Telephone Network. All the Google Voice calls go through the PSTN, but the PSTN can't handle the whole work. So, after passing the PSTN call, they are carried forward on the Google servers for the next job.

Moreover, Google Voice aims to reduce the consumers' calling costs while using the existing phone number or without porting to the other carriers. With it, you can ring multiple numbers of any carrier at once.

How to get started with Google Voice

To get started with Google Voice, you will need to download its mobile application. You can download the application on both iOS and Android devices.

● Go to the official site of Google Voice and log in to your Google account when asked. ● After signing in, click on GET GOOGLE VOICE and select the platform from Android, iOS, and Web. ● Now you will see a welcome screen. ● If you see Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, provide the required permission and click on Continue. ● Now you will see a page named Choose a Google Voice number. On this page, fill in the details such as city and area code to create a phone number. ● Pick the one number from the available options. If you have to see more numbers, hit on Load More. ● Then click on the Verify button to verify your current phone number. ● Type the number on which you may receive incoming calls in the given box and click on Send Code. ● Use your mobile phone and find the text message from Google and fill the code like G-5860 in the box. Now click on Verify. ● Then select Claim to ensure call forwarding to your mobile number. ● Please note that you have already forwarded phone calls to that number, and when you will set a new Google voice number on that number, then, in that case, the existing Google number will be removed. In short, if you use the same phone number for two Google numbers, the previous one will be removed. ● Click on the Finish button to complete the process and click again on the Finish button to access your Google Voice account.

How to ring multiple phones

It is an excellent feature from Google Voice that enables users to set a number to ring when an individual calls your Google number. Six numbers can be added to get phone calls. For instance, you can add your mobile number, landline phone, and official contact.

● Go to your Google Voice setting. You can find this option by clicking on the three-dot icon located on the website screen's left side. ● Choose the Phone numbers tab and find the Linked numbers tab. ● Now hit on the New linked number under your existing phone. ● Provide the number you want to receive Google calls and choose Send Code or click on Call. ● Take the code from your mobile and fill it in the given box. ● Now you have to go back to the Google Voice settings page and access the Calls tab. ● Don't forget to tick the blank boxes next to all the numbers you want to ring.

Wilder Zayn is a .NET developer and independent indie game designer. He likes to write about his favorite technologies like norton.com/setup for major online magazines and websites. wilder has 10+ years of programming experience, and he has worked with major tech companies in the US, UK, and Australia.

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