Google Voice: My Summer Obsession
I’m coming clean: Google Voice is my summer obsession.
I sweated out weeks waiting to join Google Voice. When the golden ticket invitation finally arrived by Gmail, I excitedly logged into the site to pick my new phone number.
Devastated, I discovered that all the phone numbers with my hometown area code – 202 — were taken! Sure, I could use my Google Voice invite to get any old number, but then I would have to explain repeatedly that I had not moved from Washington, D.C.
So, every single day since, I log into Google Voice to try to get my 202 area code number and have come up empty-handed each time.
To be honest, I deliberately didn’t write about Google Voice before out of a selfish fear that it would create even greater demand for the 202 phone numbers. Alas, when Google announced Tuesday that it is giving priority Google Voice phone numbers to all active military, I felt it was my patriotic duty to stop hiding Google Voice.
Competition for Google Voice phone numbers in large metropolitan areas is fierce. My editor said, “Here in L.A., it’s the dreaded 818 nobody wants. 323s are apparently hard to come by these days.”
New York City area codes 212 and 917 are apparently impossible to obtain through Google anymore, so some people are paying enormous sums to get those numbers transferred to them.
People are actually buying and selling free Google Voice phone number on eBay. Currently, a phone number with a little-known New York area code – 347 – is being sold on eBay with a starting price of $299.
For the uninitiated, Google Voice is a free phone number to receive all your calls and SMS text messages. It has these awesome features: free long distance domestic calls and SMS text messages, calls that can be answered on any of your phones (home, cell, work), voicemail transcribed and emailed to you, personalized voicemail greeting by caller, free conference calls, and the ability to record calls and store them on line and switch phones during a call.
All this and it’s free — so there must be a catch, right? Well, like I said, for those of us living in large cities, getting the phone number with your own area code is not easy. There are also several steps in the process of getting a Google Voice phone number.
First you need to sign up for a Gmail e-mail account. Then, you go to Google Voice Invite and fill out the form requesting an invitation. Next you wait to get an invitation for a Google Voice phone number. Finally, you log in and pick your phone number based on area code or letters.
Since this process can take awhile, Google is supporting military members by giving them Google Voice invitations for military personnel within 24 hours after they request them. “Being in the military often presents unique challenges for staying in touch, which is why we are giving away priority invites to military personnel,” Army Sgt. Dale Sweetnam, who is working with Google’s communications team, announced on a Google blog.
My friend who works in the industry — but not for Google — keeps me updated on new technology. I call him my “Tech Guru.” He taught me about Google Voice, and for those of you who are also confused about this new technology, our chat on Google Talk below may help you understand.
Me: A phone number from Google? Does it go to a phone?
Tech Guru: yes, Google voice will ring ALL on our phones at once, home, cell, work, whatever, it also lets you screen and record calls. I could spend all night talking about Google voice, I am such a nerd.
Me: so your phone number that you gave me is a real phone number and a real phone and it’s from Google
Tech Guru: and custom voicemails for each caller, free texting too
Me: there has to be a catch
Tech Guru: Nope
Me: why would they give out free phone service?
Tech Guru: they will even TRANSCRIBE your voicemails and email them to you, they write it out shows up in your Gmail inbox
Me: I dont listen to voice mails. EVER. I have phone phobia
Tech Guru: I’ve been a member for like 18mos, it’s the biggest voice telecom innovation in 50 yrs
Me: what if they dont accept me? how exclusive is this club?
Tech Guru: ha, they give ‘em out to everyone. And you PICK your # from a list
Me: holy moly
Tech Guru: you can even give it words, like EMILLER
Me: I’m going to have a heart attack, holy holy holy
Tech Guru: now, you might get (402) EMI-LLER
Me: this is too good to be true
Tech Guru: but who cares, nobody pays long distance anymore. Oh, you can also TXT for free from Google Talk
Me: why isn’t everyone doing this? I’m not telling a soul. I dont want them to take it away
Tech Guru: haha, well you still need a phone carrier, it’s just a # to call from/to, talking through Google voice on a cell phone still uses minutes.
Once I had received an invitation, I logged in to get my phone number and panic-stricken, I went back to my tech-guru on Google Talk:
Me: oh NO. It works but says there are no 202 numbers avail now. Think numbers will open up or I should just go with my name?
Tech Guru: they’ll open up more 202, they had em 2 weeks ago when I looked, 212 is impossible, btw, Manhattan is booked
Me: I want 202. I am 202. I’ll wait. I tried emiller, millere. nada
Tech Guru: more will open up
Me: patience… Do I come back and check the link to see?
Tech Guru: I would
Me: I’m never getting out of this chair
With our military personnel doing repeated tours of Iraq and Afghanistan, I think Google’s offer is a wonderful way to support our troops and make their separation from family and friends a little less painful.
As we all must make sacrifices in wartime, maybe all the 202 area code Google Voice phone numbers are needed by the men and women fighting for our freedom. Perhaps.
Though, I will shamelessly continue to beg Google: Could you hook up a D.C. girl with a cool new 202 Google
Voice number?
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