Google Voice now works on your mobile number

Google is using another clever tactic to get mobile users to use their service. Today on the Google Voice Blog, they've announced that Google Voice is available to people who don't want (or aren't sure if they want) a Google phone number.

Google asks that you use your carrier's option of voicemail call forwarding (supported by just about every carrier) to connect your incoming calls to Google's servers.  Here's their video of what's actually going on:

Google states that you'll get a lot of the functionality of the full Google voice but not all of it:

If you sign up for Google Voice with your existing number, you'll get:

• Online, searchable voicemail
• Free automated voicemail transcription
• Custom voicemail greetings for different callers
• Email and SMS notifications
• Low-priced international calling

If you decide to also get a new Google number, you'll get all of the above PLUS:

• One number that reaches you on all your phones
• SMS via email
• Call screening
• Listen In
• Call recording
• Conference calling
• Call blocking

I've signed up on my iPhone mostly because I don't get much AT&T service where I live (15 miles from New York City) and Apple isn't letting me have a Google Voice app.

It is a two step process:

1. You have to click on the phone number you want to forward, select the carrier and then hit enter.

2. Enter a (in my case 15 digit) code into your phone. You'll get a confirmation like mine below:

That's it. It worked right away. I left myself a voicemail and within a minute it was sitting in my email inbox transcribed (with one small error).

If AT&T had let me get my voicemails when I was out of their service (over Wifi), I probably wouldn't have needed this service, but now there is no reason to go back.

By offering better voice service than the telcos, Google is quickly turning them into dumb pipes ... a name they've deserved for far too long.