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Google's New Click-to-Call Service

Posted by samzenpus on from the let-google-do-the-walking dept.

teknopagan writes "Google has debuted a new service called Click-to-Call, in which they will connect you by phone to any of their advertisers. You click a phone icon next to the ad, enter your phone number, and Google calls you and connects you for free to the advertiser."

56 of 288 comments (clear)

  1. Are they using Asterisk? by XorNand · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Pure genius.

    I'd love to know the technology behind this. Given Google's commitment to FOSS, I would venture to guess that they are using Asterisk somewhere in the mix since it's one of the most flexible and mature open source telephony projects. However, Asterisk isn't known for scaling very well when you start talking about enterprise level installs. In fact, one of the biggest complaints of the Asterisk community is that VoIP providers routinely hack the source to improve scalability and stability, but then never release those changes back to the project. If indeed Google is using Asterisk, it will be interesting to see how much they support the developer community.

    --
    Entrepreneur : (noun), French for "unemployed"
    1. Re:Are they using Asterisk? by sr180 · · Score: 4, Informative

      Asterisk isnt really appropriate for this. They dont want to build a call server or PBX equivalent. They need an IVR that simply makes calls and connects the two parties. Something like Telco Perl is much more appropriate for this.

      --
      In Soviet Russia the insensitive clod is YOU!
    2. Re:Are they using Asterisk? by Justifiable_Delusion · · Score: 5, Interesting

      I must say...Google continues to astound me. Continually they offer services which rewrite the rulebook. They are moving forward into new areas while others are simply wading and reacting, hoping to catch crumbs and turn them into silver while Google is reaping a harvest of diamonds and platinum. There is a reason google's tock just broke 400 and flew past it. And there is a reason they are hiring teh greatest minds in our country.

      I for one welcome our new search engine overlords...who knew?

      --
      Mad, adj : Affected with a high degree of intellectual independence. Ambrose Bierce - The Deveil's Dictionsary
    3. Re:Are they using Asterisk? by wealthychef · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Um, the bad feeling continues for me. Why are people thrilled about this? Jesus, yes, Lord, I wish desperately to talk with Google's advertisers. Oh, thank you Google! Gosh, I'm so happy now. "Pure genius?" Um... sure. I'm sorry if I'm missing the point. I'd be much more excited if I could click on a myspace.com link and call my friend's house right from there. Is that the next step? If so, then yes, very cool. Right now, I don't really want to talk to some sales dude at pricegrabber.com or wherever...

      --
      Currently hooked on AMP
    4. Re:Are they using Asterisk? by poopdeville · · Score: 5, Funny
      Pure genius.

      Indeed. I'm going to start making google prank call my friends immediately!

      --
      After all, I am strangely colored.
    5. Re:Are they using Asterisk? by TooMuchToDo · · Score: 5, Insightful
      This isn't a feature so everyone can have free calls. This is something Google can show off to their Google Ad customers, to help them drive more revenue.

      Note to Slashdot readers: It's not a crime to be in business to make money. It's the way you do it that matters. Google just happens to be very good at making money in a very friendly way.

    6. Re:Are they using Asterisk? by joto · · Score: 4, Insightful
      This isn't a feature so everyone can have free calls. This is something Google can show off to their Google Ad customers, to help them drive more revenue.

      Obviously it is a feature so everyone can have free calls. If not, it would be easier to just list the phone-number to the advertiser, so I could call it myself.

      The fact that I can only get free calls to someone who is trying to sell me something is the thing that drives googles revenue.

      Is it something that I'm likely to ever use? No. Is it something that some marketers can be excited about? Probably. I trust google did some research before creating this service. Which makes me conclude that I have to become more cynical with regard to how many stupid people this planet contains. I could never be good in marketing, I have a tendency to assume people are intelligent.

    7. Re:Are they using Asterisk? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I used to work for a small data switching telco (which was later bought up by a larger company, and 90% of us were fired or left within 3 months). Anyhow, we had a private fork of Asterisk for our use. I and 3 others spent a fair amount of time trying to deal with the stability/scalability issues. We tried getting our changes merged back into the official version, but there were a number of key architectural changes that need to be made, and Mark Spencer was a complete asshole. We thought of releasing our own fork, but we didn't want to deal with supporting it (plus, it was a competetive advantage not to). I wish I had released the patches, at least, if only because I'm bitter over being fired :)

    8. Re:Are they using Asterisk? by Breakfast+Pants · · Score: 4, Interesting

      The purpose of not listing the number is so that google can charge the advertiser for this service. Also it acts as a protection against scammers who use your phone number as a way to ID you for nefarious purposes. If all you want to ask is "can your product do X?" you perhaps don't want them to know all of your identification.

      --

      --

      WHO ATE MY BREAKFAST PANTS?
    9. Re:Are they using Asterisk? by digidave · · Score: 2, Insightful

      No, this is just some lame tech that's been around for a couple of years on some yellow pages-type sites. Almost nobody uses it. I'm not sure which companies offer this, but I do know it's available. Vonage's Click 2 Call is the exact same technology, although I'm not sure if it's available for this use or not (http://www.vonage.com/features.php?feature=click_ 2_call).

      Quit heaping the praise on Google when they don't deserve it. They've done enough cool things that they don't need to get credit when they don't do anything.

      The biggest innovation here is that this can be used for a generic web ad, while AFAIK all implementations have been for paid business listings on business directory sites or on corporate sites to make it easier to call.

      --
      The global economy is a great thing until you feel it locally.
    10. Re:Are they using Asterisk? by FuturePastNow · · Score: 3, Funny

      Don't be evil.

      --
      Give a man fire, and you warm him for the night. Set a man on fire, and you warm him for the rest of his life.
    11. Re:Are they using Asterisk? by miyako · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I can't speak for any other slashdotters, but I can immediately think of two reasons why this service could be useful.
      The first is that I have a fair few family members who are completely computer illiterate. Once every couple of months they call me wanting to buy some obscure thing, and I have to google for it, find a couple of sites, read what is available and what the cost is to them over the phone. They write it down on a bit of paper and call me back in a few days to tell me what they want, I drive over there, get some cash or a check, deposit it into the bank, wait for the deposit to go through, get online, and order it for them. This is a pain that could be largely mitigated by me simply being able to google and then enter their phone number and allow them to talk to a representitive.
      The second thing that I think this could be useful for is for helping smaller sites build trust with customers. I know there have been a few sites that I have decided not to buy from simply because the site looked unprofessional and I wasn't sure I could really trust the site to A: not steal my information, or B: actually deliver what I buy. In this case I think that smaller and lesser known sites might benefit from this service.

      --
      Famous Last Words: "hmm...wikipedia says it's edible"
  2. I can see someone abusing this by Snarfangel · · Score: 4, Insightful

    ..especially if they have the phone number of someone they don't like.

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    1. Re:I can see someone abusing this by FhnuZoag · · Score: 2, Insightful

      That's interesting. *click* Though I don't see *click* why anyone would be *click* so *click* mean *click* and nasty to annoy people *click* with constant *click* phone *click* ringing in real life. *click*

    2. Re:I can see someone abusing this by Spy+der+Mann · · Score: 2, Funny

      That's interesting. *click* *click* *click*

      Alright, i think i'm gonna search for "sony" on google... be back in 30 minutes.

    3. Re:I can see someone abusing this by nmb3000 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I can see someone abusing this

      That's a good point.

      It also raises the question: How will this interact with the Do Not Call bill that was passed a while ago? According to the bill, companies that have a past relationship with you are exempt from the blacklist. If you put your number into one of these boxes are you opening yourself up to get calls from hundreds of telemarketing companies all under one big corporate umbrella?

      This is Slashdot, yet I haven't seen anyone concerned about privacy yet. I guess that since we're talking about Google, all anyone can do is "Oooh" and "Aaah" over this. Depending on how this is implemented, it could open the door for all sorts of problems with privacy and annoying telemarketers.

      --
      "What do you despise? By this are you truly known." --Princess Irulan, Manual of Muad'Dib
      /)
    4. Re:I can see someone abusing this by shadowbearer · · Score: 2, Interesting


        Mod parent up please, the question about the Do Not Call bill is an excellent one, especially considering the potential for abuse.

        Any thoughts? I can't honestly see an easy way to prevent this from being abused easily.

      SB

      --
      It's old. The more humans I meet, the more I like my cats. At least they are honest.
    5. Re:I can see someone abusing this by shawb · · Score: 4, Informative

      Google doesn't give the phone number to the advertiser. They delete your number after a short time. At least according to their privacy statement. Doing otherwise could open them up to litigation.

      --
      I'll never make that mistake again, reading the experts' opinions. - Feynman
  3. Phone Sex by fembots · · Score: 5, Funny

    Not that this is the first and only thing in my mind, but if phone sex operators are using this service......

    --
    Rock that crushes, Paper & Scissors that don't matter.
  4. recording. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    are they recording the call as well?

  5. all right! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    prank calls have now reached a new frontier!

  6. privacy vs authentication by Anakron · · Score: 5, Insightful

    How do they make sure that the number entered is indeed from the person interested in the product? What stops me from entering (say) Darl McBride's number a million times?

    --
    There are 11 types of people. Those who understand binary, those who don't and those who are sick of this lame joke.
    1. Re:privacy vs authentication by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Because they will be building a phone book. Actually they will be building a huge personal profile, that just happens to include your phone number. When their database is big enough, they will realize that you're entering someone else's number, because it will be associated with someone else.

      Or even simpler, maybe they can simply offer up a "do not call this number" feature. It will be interesting to see if they do or don't do this.

      Moreover, what's to stop you from publishing Darl's phone number right now? If you did something that could be considered harassment, you wouldn't want to be found out, would you? Now don't you know that Google knows where you are, where you have been, and where you are going? They can correlate this information with anything you do, and disappear you anytime they wish. They are protecting Darl. They told me not to tell you these things, but ....

    2. Re:privacy vs authentication by XorNand · · Score: 5, Interesting

      If I were designing the system, the service would call you first and when you answered, it would say "This is Google Click-to-call. Press 1 to connect to the advertiser, press 2 if you didn't make this request". If you pressed 2, it would blacklist the number for a while.

      The biggest bummer for some advertisers is that I doubt that it'll work for callers behind a phone system and without a direct number. The callback number will just go to a receptionist or to IVR (auto-attendant) greeting. There goes much of B2B market.

      --
      Entrepreneur : (noun), French for "unemployed"
    3. Re:privacy vs authentication by damned_mediocrity · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Because they will be building a phone book. Actually they will be building a huge personal profile, that just happens to include your phone number.

      Yeah, that's what I'm worried about. Their FAQ doesn't allay my fears much, either:

      3. Is this just a way for Google to track me?
      No. We take your privacy very seriously.... In addition, we retain your information (including your phone number, date, time, and call length) only temporarily. It will be deleted from our servers after a period reasonably necessary to operate, audit, and evaluate the service.

      Okay, so your number will be deleted after they've "evaluated" the service... Sounds good. Except that this is coming from the company that keeps their new projects in "beta" for, like, aeons.

      In summary... all our phone number are belong to Google. Until they "evaluate" the service, of course.

      --
      Writerati
  7. If Google knows everything by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Don't they know the reason that I use the web is because I don't like the phone?

    1. Re:If Google knows everything by kebes · · Score: 5, Interesting

      True... often I use the web because it's much more efficient than trying to talk to someone who doesn't know what they are talking about.

      On the other hand, one thing I hate about calling a business is that I have to wait on hold for a very long time. Wouldn't it make more sense for me to give them my phone number, and then they can call me when they have a rep available? I'll be in my office all day... and typically I don't get as many calls as they do, so when they call I probably won't be busy. It just makes sense.

      And besides, if I'm thinking about buying a product, and then I have to wait on hold, I'll probably give up and not buy it. If, on the other hand, I can just type in my number and wait for the vendor to get hold of me, then it's much more likely to work out for everyone (me and vendor). I know in the past I've done this before with some companies. They have a web form, you enter the info, and a short while later you get a phone call from someone (who has presumably read your question/request and is ready with an answer/offer). Google is formalizing this system, making it a snap to put customers in touch with companies.

      In short, I think it's a good idea.

    2. Re:If Google knows everything by hokeyru · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I agree. But sometimes you're forced to use the phone. Tech support, for instance. It would be really nice if I could navigate all those cursed telephone menus on the web, and THEN click to call. Are you listening, Dell?

    3. Re:If Google knows everything by thesandtiger · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Don't they know the reason that I use the web is because I don't like the phone?

      Don't you know that you don't have to use this service if you don't want to?

      --
      Since I can't tell them apart, I treat all ACs as the same person.
  8. Brilliant idea. by xdroop · · Score: 4, Funny

    Here I am looking at male enhancement products... what's Taco's phone number again?

    --
    you should read everything on the internet as if it had "but I'm probably talking out of my ass" appended to it.
  9. Your phone number by ornil · · Score: 2, Insightful

    According to the FAQ the advertiser can't see your phone number, so they can't add you to their list and annoy you if you decide not to order anything from them. That's pretty nice.

  10. Example? by Prometheus+Bob · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Does anyone have an example of a link that shows this? I've tried googling IBM, business, computer...I cant find where this mythical phone icon is I should be looking for.

    1. Re:Example? by tommers · · Score: 3, Informative

      Given the searches I've tried, I really doubt that this feature is turned on. I tried a lot of searches that result in some of the most appropiate advertisers many of which show up on AdWords. Even if this was only available to a few AdWords customers, I'd think one of our searches would have found them: flowers moving vans pizza pizza 94043 car rental vacation hawaii vacation hawaii orbitz hotels new york

    2. Re:Example? by TragicLad · · Score: 5, Informative

      Screenshots can be found on Greg Yardley's blog

      --
      --- No Boom? No Boom today. Boom tomorrow, there's always a boom tomorrow.
  11. just a thought by ladyjane_calm · · Score: 5, Insightful

    will our children mock google the way our generation mocks microsoft?

    1. Re:just a thought by AndroidCat · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Like the way we were mocking IBM not that long ago? Yes, but don't let that bother you. By then they'll teenagers and you'll have other things to worry about.

      --
      One line blog. I hear that they're called Twitters now.
    2. Re:just a thought by killjoe · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Lets hope so. The alternative is that our grandchildren will still be mocking microsoft just like we are mocking them now.

      --
      evil is as evil does
  12. Wow...too bad it is restricted to Google... by skogs · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I wish this was everywhere. Not necessarily because I want to talk to every advertiser, but because I would love to be able to talk to these jerks sometimes. Really, if you got a spam email, wouldn't it be better if you could then just click, and be connected with them and tell them what you think about their -bodypart- enhancement, or their new guaranteed -success at something-? This would be an excellent feedback mechanism to increase the cost of internet advertising so that every hokey jerk out there cannot bombard me mindlessly. I enjoy google ads, I like those for the most part, and the do work. Targeted ads work. I wish I could provide feedback to the dimwads that do not target their marketing. I wish I could feeback to those that abuse my bandwidth.

    --
    Who is this that even the wind and the waves obey Him? Surely this computer must submit also!
  13. Re:Wow... useful and impressive. by gcaseye6677 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    The real question is, who has a patent on this service? If it isn't Google, they're fucked, because someone else has one for sure.

  14. awesome by circletimessquare · · Score: 3, Insightful

    why ddos someone's website when you can ddos their phone network

    is that all of the telephones ringing in the office at the same time i hear?

    --
    intellectual property law is philosophically incoherent. it is your moral duty to ignore it or sabotage it
  15. Old News.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    Amazon has been doing Click To Call via A9 yellow pages for some time now. It's not terribly useful to when you sitting at the computer with a phone right next to you, but I've used it when people call me looking for a phone number. Put their's in, and they don't have to worry about looking it up.

  16. Cool idea by AutopsyReport · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Okay, cool idea. Except how many people actually click their ad links (I've never clicked one in my life), let alone would actually call these advertisers?

    --

    For he today that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother.

  17. Trolling by bprime · · Score: 2, Funny

    I'll confess: I'm basically going to use this to troll people I don't like by entering their phone numbers in ads for "freehotsex.com" or whatever.

  18. Click-to-Call? Come on...where's the G? by ip_freely_2000 · · Score: 4, Funny

    What a boring name. No GClick, GCall, or G-Click-to-Call?

    They just don't put the effort into their naming schemes like they used to.

  19. Debut nothing. by NoGuffCheck · · Score: 2, Informative

    This has been around for years in the UK. I used to work for a company that used the service(A very large mobile phone retailer). Let me tell you, as a call centre rep who took the calls it was total bollocks most of the time. Dead lines from people who change their mind, and worse just people not knowing what their doing. Its very gooods though for people who cant pick up a phone and dial. But what the hell do they want with a mobile phone anyway??

    --
    serenity now!
  20. And this wasn't thought of sooner? by Electr!c_B4rd_Qu!nn · · Score: 4, Funny

    For people like me who prefer phone communications over e-mail(*Prepares sheild for attack*), this is the best technology that I SHOULD have thought of first. And to think, I'd have made a killing if I just saved that damn dinner napkin....

    --
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    That talk kinda makes you cry, doesn't it?
    That's right..cry those nerdly tears
  21. Google Space launched too by Lord+Satri · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Busy day for Google?
    The Mysan website announces the new Google Space for London's Heathrow Airport. From the article: "A half of British passengers surveyed said they had nothing better to do in airport terminals than eat, drink and shop. [...] To answer this demand, on Thursday 24 November, Google is launching Google Space at Heathrows Terminal One. Google Space is a laboratory comprising Google pods, which travellers can access for free once through security to log onto the Internet, check their mail and use Google tools to find out about their destination."

    --
    Animoog.org
  22. :D by HunterZ · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Sweet! Now I'm just waiting for someone write some bots to connect advertisers to EACH OTHER! Phone DoS!

    --
    Arguing about vi versus Emacs is like arguing whether it's better to make fire by rubbing sticks or banging rocks.
  23. You couldn't be more wrong by TubeSteak · · Score: 5, Insightful
    You either don't like corporations or you're trolling.
    Either way, your statements are wrong.

    A corporation is created for a variety of reason like limiting liability or creating an 'ongoing concern'. Corporations can be used to raise funds. Can you sell 10,000 shares of stock in a partnership?

    The main reason anyone files for articles of incorporation is to separate the business from themselves. If your corporation tanks, creditors won't come after your house, your car and your savings account. If you are the business, everything you own is on the line.


    Further, I take issue with your blanket statement that "it is simply evil to have the power." Is it evil for police to own guns? Is it evil for you or I to own them? Is a pointed stick evil?

    Like anything else, a corporation (or a gun) is neither good nor evil. It is neutral. You can go file for articles of incorporation and then do nothing with them... and guess what? Neither you nor the world becomes 'more' evil.

    --
    [Fuck Beta]
    o0t!
  24. jumping on the bandwagon by eagl · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Maybe I'm just easily excitable but that sounds like a neat idea. Cross-license with ebay and skype, flavor with paypal, and you can call from your computer and buy stuff without picking up the phone or even pulling out your credit card to read out the numbers or giving your address.

    Yea it's consumerism and capitalistic BS, but who wouldn't give a pinky finger to have the rights to the tech and marketing concept?

  25. Google is great. by rice_burners_suck · · Score: 3, Interesting

    They are quite imaginative in their approach to advertising. I wonder if the advertiser will have to pay Google each time someone is connected via phone (for other than phone charges), and whether, as an advertiser, you can limit the number of phone calls that will take place (to, say, five per hour), in case you're just a small business without hundreds of operators standing by.

  26. Wow, what a terrible idea by expatsoftware · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I advertise through google, and they have my Cell number on record. The last thing I want is to have everybody on the internet start "automatically" calling me on it!

    I hope that this feature is not enabled by default.

    --
    Expat Software Consulting Services
  27. Link to official website by Lord+Satri · · Score: 3, Informative

    Ok, I'm not crazy, there you go, Google Space !
    http://www.google.co.uk/googlespace/

    Linked from http://www.ogleearth.com/2005/11/google_space.html
    quite better from the first link I provided...

    --
    Animoog.org
  28. I can see it now... by cwsulliv · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Google connects you to the advertiser and you get the usual recorded announcement: "Please hold for the next available operator. Due to the high volume of calls this may take some time. For faster service please visit our website."

  29. Blocks the "relationship" loophole in do not call by Devistater · · Score: 2, Funny

    This is great stuff. Now you can talk to companies and get information out of them, without them getting your phone number. Google doesn't give your phone number to them, and the callerid shows googles stuff, not yours. This way the company can't call you back and claim they were exempt under the do not call list since you had a business relationship with them. They wont even know your phone number in the first place :)

  30. Re:Why not just put their phone number in the ad? by nacturation · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Not every company has a toll-free number. So now you can talk on the phone with them and not pay long distance charges.

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