Google Voice is a free service that provides you with an automated phone number. It lets you make and receive calls, send texts, and voicemails from your computer or mobile device. You can also choose to use your existing cell phone plan without the need for additional hardware like a traditional home phone line.
It has many features that are not available with other services including call screening, voice transcription into text messages (known as “read receipts”), visual voicemail, custom greetings based on caller ID information, voicemail transcripts in Gmail inboxes, personalized SMS notifications (including time stamps), international calling rates at competitive prices (with some restrictions), easy conference-calling management between multiple parties who all share the same Google account and more!
Google has been offering Google Voice to the public since 2009. The service provides features like multi-device rings, browser-based calling, voicemail transcription, and spam filtering. In April 2019, Google launched Google Voice for G Suite. Google Voice joins the likes of Gmail, Hangouts Chat, and Hangouts Meet as an additional G Suite core communication service.
An organization can now switch from a legacy phone provider to Google Voice for G Suite, and Google elected to price Google Voice for G Suite quite competitively.
10 reasons why you should consider switching to Google Voice
Multi-device– Google Voice works on nearly every device. Install the Google Voice app on Android or iOS, sign in, and then place or receive calls using your Google Number. Or you could always sign in to Google Voice in Chrome on a laptop/desktop to manage calls on your computer. People who prefer a desk phone can choose from a set of devices.
Desk phone options are available for Standard as well as Premier customers. You control which devices ring when you receive a call.
Transcription– Google Voice makes voicemail messages readable by utilizing world-class speech-to-text transcription. You can read the transcript, and then choose to respond or not, even if you don’t make a call.
Texting– Every Google Voice number in the US supports SMS.
Spam detection– Google provides spam detection in Google Voice.
Administrative management– G Suite administrators can assign or remove a number quickly from the Admin console. Admins can manage all of G Suite’s communication services.
Text-to-speech auto-attendant– Standard or Premier editions support an auto-attendant. You don’t have to record any prompts; instead, all you need to do is type your automated prompts, then G Suite synthesizes speech in your selected language.
G Suite integration– Google Voice handles dial-in and phone services within Hangouts Meet. The Google Voice app will be displayed in the side panel in Gmail. Anyone can set Google Voice to sync with working and out-of-office hours on Google Calendar.
Compliance– Organizations must comply with HIPAA should know that as a core G Suite service. Google Voice for G Suite is covered by Google’s business associate’s agreement with customers.
Price– There are three tiers, Starter, Standard, and Premier. Standard, available at $20 per person per month, for national reach. For multi-national companies, the Premier, which is available for $30 per person, per month, is best suited. For an organization that has a very small working size and doesn’t require a desk phone, they can take the Starter edition at $10 per person per month.
Number porting– It supports number porting; it allows an organization to retain phone numbers while switching voice providers.
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