Top 5 Facts about Google Voice

Many companies and educational institutions have already successfully adopted this Voice over IP (VoIP) service. Are you also considering it but still have questions? We've prepared answers to 5 key questions about Google's telephony solution:

1. What is Google Voice?

Google Voice is a user-friendly VoIP telephony solution from Google Cloud, providing businesses of all sizes the opportunity to stay well-organised and connected with others. With this service, you get a phone number for calls, SMS, and voicemail, allowing you to make domestic and international calls on web browsers and mobile devices.

2. What are the advantages of Google Voice?

As a cloud telephony solution, the service offers many advantages over traditional on-premises telephone systems. These include:

• Seamless Integration with Google Workspace: As an extension of Google Workspace, Google Voice can be seamlessly integrated into workflows, such as with Google Meet and Calendar. However, licences need to be acquired separately.
• Easy Setup & Management: Google Voice can be quickly deployed from anywhere with minimal effort. You can port your existing phone number, and configuration is straightforward. Settings are clearly presented in the Google Workspace Admin Console. This streamlines the work for your IT team and eliminates the need for an additional telephony tool.
• Flexibility: Device-independent calling allows employees to easily differentiate between personal and business calls, especially while working from home.
• Scalability: The service operates reliably even during increased demand and promptly responds to spikes in usage.
• AI Support: Google's powerful AI filters out spam calls and assists in configuring your phone system. Additionally, voicemail messages can be automatically transcribed, enabling you to read them in your email inbox and save time.
• Call Groups & Auto Attendants: Set up call groups and multi-tiered auto attendants (auto attendants direct callers to the right person or department through a menu system and keypress). You can find more about this in our video series on the Google Voice Admin Console.

3. Who can use Google Voice and what are the technical requirements?

Google Voice is currently available only to existing customers of Google Workspace, and in most countries within mainland Europe, the UK, Ireland, US and Canada (excluding the U.S. territories of American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands).

The telephone service is compatible with all major operating systems: Chrome OS, Apple MacOS, Microsoft Windows, Android (last 2 versions), and Apple iOS (last 2 versions). It is partially usable on other platforms.

Google Voice is also accessible with all major web browsers: Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox (Windows and Mac), and Safari.

4. How much does Google Voice cost?

The telephone solution is divided into 3 pricing tiers, each differing in its feature set. Billing is done in Euros at the current U.S. Dollar exchange rate. The following subscriptions are available:

• Starter, for small businesses with up to 10 users or licences: $10 per user per month.
• Standard, for businesses of any size with locations in only one country: $20 per user per month.
• Premium, for large international enterprises: $30 per user per month.

In addition to these fees, there are tariff costs per minute for paid calls. However, for a sufficiently large number of licences, attractive discounts are available for businesses. Simply reach out to us for more details! You can find the complete overview of Google Voice billing in the Google Help Center.

5. How do you get started with Google Voice and how can PCG support it?

You can find a brief introduction to setting up and managing Google Voice in our video (German language, 6 minutes).