Google’s free email service (known as Gmail) has the ability to make and receive free domestic telephone calls to landlines or cell phones. Having a free Google Voice account is the part that provides you with a telephone number that enables you to receive calls (and much, much more). I think I said free enough times to convince you to keep reading…
To get started, you will first need a Google account. Once you create this account you will have access to Google’s many services, such as Gmail, Google Voice, Google Drive, and more. You will need to create a Google Voice number if you will want to use it to receive phone calls or use it as your primary number on your cell phone, home phone, work phone, etc. Google Voice can be used to ring several phones at once. To get a Google Voice number, go to this web page and log in with your Google account. Follow the directions, pick a number you like, and now you have a number you can take anywhere.
Now that you have your Google Voice number it’s time to use it
Log into your Gmail account and look for the phone symbol on the left sidebar.
Since you have never used Gmail to make voice calls, you will be prompted to install a plugin.
Install the plugin.
Select close once the plugin is done installing.
There is a video you can watch to learn a bit more before going back to Gmail to make phone calls.
When you go back to Gmail you will still see that you need to install the plugin. This is because you need to refresh your web browser.
Now that you have refreshed your web browser, you will need to go back to the phone symbol in Gmail.
You will now be presented with a keypad that is ready to use. Dial the number you want to call and be sure to use the area code. You can also type in a name, as long as you have already entered it in your Gmail contacts.
You can make phone calls but, not receive them. To receive calls, you will need to go to your Google Voice page. Once there, select the settings by clicking the sprocket symbol at the upper right corner.
Once in the settings page, under the Phones tab, you will want to make sure Google chat is selected. You may also add other phone numbers for Google Voice to ring when you receive a call.
Once you have checked Google chat and added your phones, click Voice in the left sidebar to go back to the Google Voice main page.
Now you will be back in the Google Voice main page. From here, you may send and receive text messages and listen to voice mails. You can even make phone calls, but it calls Gmail then connects the call when you answer. It is better just to use Gmail to make phone calls. You will also need to have Gmail open in a web browser to receive phone calls.
That’s it – enjoy your free calling.