Google announces "Google Voice"

Rebrands GrandCentral's services

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12 March 2009 10:13 GMT / By Amy-Mae Elliott

In a blog post entitled "Here comes Google Voice", the search giant has announced a new telecommunications offering.

Google has announced it is to release a preview of "Google Voice", describing it as "an application that helps you better manage your voice communications".

Google Voice is essentially an update and rebrand of GrandCentral's services, a company Google bought back in July 2007, and will be available initially to existing users of GrandCentral.

Voice will give users transcripts of their voicemail and the ability to archive and search SMS text messages sent and received.

Users will also be able to use the service to make "low-priced" international calls.

Users will get a single number to ring their home, work, and mobile phones, a central voicemail inbox that can be accessed on the web, and the ability to screen calls by listening in live as callers leave a voicemail.

GrandCentral users will get instructions on how to swap services over this week, while Google promises "we'll be opening it up to others soon".

We will keep you posted.