Google Launches VoIP Application

Last week Google launched Web-based VoIP calling integrated with its Gmail e-mail offering (see the video after the jump). The Gmail VoIP application allows users to call cell phones or landlines from within their Gmail contact lists. According to the company, calls to the U.S. and Canada will be free for at least the rest of the year and calls to other countries are subject to these rates.

The service is now available to all 200 million active Gmail users nationwide. Google noted on its Twitter account that the offering was well received with more than one million phone calls placed in the first day.

Users will not need a Google Voice account to take advantage of the new free calling service, but if they do have one calls made from Gmail will display this number as the outbound caller ID. Google Voice users also can receive calls made to their Google Voice phone number right inside Gmail.

Google’s desktop VoIP application was first rumored back in April.  The move is Google’s latest foray into the telecommunications industry. Two years ago Google launched PC-to-PC-based video chatting from within its Gmail service. The company followed this up with Google Voice in mid-2009, which offers a variety of value-added features including the ability to receive voicemail messages in e-mail format and one phone number that rings multiple phones.

Related posts:

1. Google Testing Desktop VoIP Client
2. Google Buys VoIP Provider Gizmo5
3. Pew: 24% of Online Adults Use VoIP
4. Sprint Launches Wholesale VoIP
5. Google Voice Enables Number Porting