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Home / News / Gmail introduces Google Voice phone call service to the world

Gmail introduces Google Voice phone call service to the world

Google gives the thumbs up to dirt cheap calls to mobiles and landlines via Gmail

Google’s in-email calling service has been flaunting its wares in the US for the past year, but now Google has issued the green light to bring the service to the rest of the world. Best of all, it means dirt cheap calls to international destinations.

The service is currently free of charge to our buddies across the pond, while international calls set them back a measly cent per minute. Over here, however, we’ll be charged 11p per minute to call mobiles in the UK, France or Germany and 2p per minute to landlines. In a bid to entice users away from services such as Fring, Skype and iChat, Google has reduced the cost of calls to 150 destinations worldwide and has chucked out all call connection fees. You can get a full list of the rates here. And just in case you were wondering, Google says its prices are less costly than sending a letter.

The service, which now covers all corners by supporting 38 languages is being rolled out over the next few days. Calling your pals is easy: just look for the little green phone icon at the top of the chat list, click ‘Call Phone’ and dial a number or enter a contact’s name. Simple. You just need to install the voice and video plug-in, purchase some credit through Google Checkout and make sure your computer has a working microphone and speaker.

Also

Google Chrome OS review

Google Plus review

Google plus guide – things you didn’t know

Google labs is no more

Skype for iPad app’s on-off relationship with the app store

Microsoft just bought Skype  – for US$8.5bn

Skype update for Android brings two-way video chat

Facebook launches Skype video calling

Profile image of Dan Grabham Dan Grabham Editor-in-Chief

About

Dan is Editor-in-chief of Stuff, working across the magazine and the Stuff.tv website.  Our Editor-in-Chief is a regular at tech shows such as CES in Las Vegas, IFA in Berlin and Mobile World Congress in Barcelona as well as at other launches and events. He has been a CES Innovation Awards judge. Dan is completely platform agnostic and very at home using and writing about Windows, macOS, Android and iOS/iPadOS plus lots and lots of gadgets including audio and smart home gear, laptops and smartphones. He's also been interviewed and quoted in a wide variety of places including The Sun, BBC World Service, BBC News Online, BBC Radio 5Live, BBC Radio 4, Sky News Radio and BBC Local Radio.

Areas of expertise

Computing, mobile, audio, smart home