Google Purchases GrandCentral Web Phone Service

Nrbelex writes "Bloomberg News via the New York Times is reporting that Google has purchased GrandCentral. 'Google said yesterday that it had bought GrandCentral Communications, acquiring a service that lets people use a single number for all their phones ... GrandCentral users can create a single mailbox, accessible over the Internet, for all their phone messages, Google said on its Web site ... GrandCentral, based in Fremont, Calif., was founded in 2005 by Craig Walker and Vincent Paquet, two executives who worked for Dialpad Communications, a Web phone company that was acquired by Yahoo in 2005.'"

Comments

AT&T

[jrwr00]

Remember back in the early 90's them future movies, how it always showed AT&T as the main communications Company, i think Google might replace them :)

Re:AT&T

[Aladrin]

AT&T could have done well, if they'd just cared about the customer.

Long ago, my mother always chose AT&T when getting a phone turned on. They were our first wireless carrier, and we were happy.

Then they apparently quit caring. We had numerous problems with both long distance and cellular phone service. Some issues carried on for months before being resolved. My mother eventually swore she'd never use them again for anything. Ever.

It wasn't the issues, it was the way they resolved them. Everyone expects occasional issues with service. (Except overbilling, which was a few of the issues.) But if the company makes fixing the issue into an issue itself, it's obvious that they don't care about the customer at all.

They managed to turn one of their best customers into a dedicated non-customer.

T-Mobile has been a good provider, but if it had been anyone other than AT&T prodiving service for the iPhone, I'd own one right now, despite the contract my mother got us into. They were my sole reason not to get one.

Anyhow, the point is that the old movies would have been correct, if AT&T hadn't gotten stupid. Can Google take that position? They are pretty amazing on the web, but we'll see how it goes with a telco. I was reading their FAQ and apparently it used to be possible to assign your own ringer on GC, but now you can only choose from a set of approved ones. I can't prove this was a Google change, but it sounds like it. If they get crazy with the changes, they could destroy this service before they even really get started with it.

(I have not used GC yet, as I had not heard of it until now, and there appears to be no more numbers available for the moment.)

Re:AT&T

[Anonymous Coward]

you realize ATT had the largest and most ubiquotous network on the planet right?

Re:AT&T

[Anonymous Coward]

I currently have AT&T U-verse for my ISP and TV. I used to have Time Warner (and before that, Comcast), until I moved to an apartment complex that wasn't wired for cable.

AT&T has been absolutely wonderful for me. Very few issues with their service, and on the few occasions I call them with an issue, they go out of their way to help me out.

On the other hand, Time Warner went down all the time, and whenever I called them, I got the impression they couldn't give a shit about me. Same with Comcast before them.

Re:AT&T

[clubhi]

I thought this story was leading to how your mother was slain by AT&T and you vowed to avenge her. I can see how this affects you though, as you probably couldn't have a different phone service in the basement.

Re:AT&T

[utopianfiat]

In soviet russia, phones turn on your mother, trebek!

Sorry for the meme mash-up.

Re:AT&T

[Aladrin]

No, despite the fact that I live in a separate house and have a job that pays more than my mom's, I still love my family and their hurts are my hurts.

Re:AT&T

[Anonymous Coward]

"a job that pays more than my mom's"

I try to verbalize what I feel when I read this and all I can say is "Ick."

Low Class. Trashy. Ick.

Nobody cares how much $ you make. Nobody cares how much your mom makes. It's trashy for you to even mention that.

Ick.

Re:AT&T

[Anonymous Coward]

what a douchebag, low-class comment...

Re:AT&T

[Anonymous Coward]

AT&T isn't the problem. The problem started in 1983, when Judge Greene ruled that AT&T was a monopoly, and the phone company had to be broken up. The breakup accomplished nothing positive. Prior to 1983, service was unbelievable. New installations, repairs, and products were extremely reliable. If you had a problem due to weather or a rare equipment failure, they fixed it immediately.
If you moved or changed your service, the service was painless.

Then, they broke everything up. The phone companies had thousands of pages of documents to follow on the procedure for dealing with what used to be mundane, daily activities. Regulation, oversight, rules of separation, re-engineering computers and records to separate local from long distance. It took years, and was extremely expensive. And what did we get out of it? We paid through the nose. We didn't get increased competition except in the long distance market, and it took years for it to reach everyone. In the local markets, a few competitors moved in, but ONLY to cherry-pick the best central offices, and ONLY to serve businesses.

As for the wireless providers, they're all basically the same. They all have strengths and weaknesses. TMobile doesn't have as good a coverage package as Sprint, Cingular, or Verizon, but their monthly package is better. Verizon is going to nickle-and-dime you, as is AT&T. Neither wants to give away ANYTHING. Sprint suffers from an identity crisis with NexTel. They don't know what they want to do.

I think all of the wireless carriers are in collusion to jack up rates. They want to get every person on the planet on a $100/month package. It used to be $29.99 for a good monthly package from a wireless carrier. Then it went to $39.99. Now you're seeing $59.99. Soon, it'll be 79.99, and then $99.99. They're ALL doing it, and there's not a thing you can do about it.

What we as consumers need is some leverage. With a 2 year commitment, you're basically held hostage. The carriers can crap all over you, and there's not much you can do about it if they are lousy. I'd like to see some real service credits when the wireless companies screw up. If they drop a call, I should be able to automatically get a 5 minute service credit. If I can't connect because signal strength is too weak, then I should get another 5 minutes. I'd like something that hurts them... so they have an incentive to actually build out their network. Instead, they offer crappy service and they don't fix it.

I've had bad service with Sprint, Verizon, and Cingular. I've seen friends who rave about TMobile... until they have to get off the freeway and drive 5 to 10 miles... and then they're angry.

Re:AT&T

[Ohreally_factor]

Hello. My name is Aladrin Montoya. You killed my mother. Prepare to be disconnected.

Re:AT&T

[Ohreally_factor]

What is, "Jeopardy! What a country!"?

(Was that Meme Mashups for $500?)

Re:AT&T

[iminplaya]

Then they apparently quit caring.

They don't have to. They're the Phone Company.

Gmail?

[vx922]

man this screams Gmail and google talk

Just wait

[Gamer13258]

In a few years we'll all be driving google cars and taking the google train or plane to work

Re:Just wait

[WingedEarth]

I don't know about all of us driving google cars. I think I'll be driving an Apple.

Re:Just wait

[TitaniumDrew]

I'll still be driving a lemon.

Re:Just wait

[Ohreally_factor]

If Google Search will help me find my car keys, I'm not going to complain.

Pundit patrol

[Robotech_Master]

Well, now I know what one of Cringely's next few columns will be about...

Google as a carrier

[packetmon]

Working in the VoIP industry, I can see Google hurting a lot of the upcoming and established companies (Sunbelt, Packet8 watch out). I'm one for the corporation doing what's necessary to make money but this is certainly monumental and I have a feeling that networking will be next on the ISP/Broadband/FiOS like level for Google. They are (if you ask me) becoming their own worst enemy and it will be a peculiar show to see how regulation plays out in the next few months/years (remember the Ma Bell monopoly). I wonder in these days if say a company was facing regulatory pressure if they could just pack up shop and jump across the border. Imagine that Google based of its Tijuana headquarters. Then again, what the hell am I talking about... Google already greased pockets up... We at least they're not making cars yet.

Re:Google as a carrier

[Paulrothrock]

I have a feeling that networking will be next on the ISP/Broadband/FiOS like level for Google.

Oh gods I hope so.

Right now I have two options: Crappy Verizon DSL that blocks ports and Comcast that charges an arm and a leg for mediocre service, bad tech support and even worse on-site support. (Search my blog for Comcast to read my horror stories.)

If Google (or, really, any other company) offered service in my area that was cheaper and/or better, I'd switch in a heartbeat. And I wouldn't doubt for a second that they could offer it, except that my state government is in the pocket of both Verizon and Comcast.

Re:Google as a carrier

[Anonymous Coward]

WTF is a "broadband donut?" I think you just made it up for your sig and it sure sounds dumb.
Lines like that only work when the referenced metaphor is in common usage.
Like the old cliche of "road kill on the information superhighway."
But donut? I don't think so.

Phone Numbers?

[vigmeister]

This page sorta gives out phonenumbers to some important people... Wonder if/when they'll take it down... Or have the numbers been faked?

http://www.grandcentral.com/home/one_addressbook

Cheers!

Re:Phone Numbers?

[smithbp]

The Bezos numbers are the corporate line for Amazon and their fax line.

Re:Phone Numbers?

[encoderer]

Informative?!

Hahahaa

I assume the OP meant to be modded funny... only on slashdot....

Re:Phone Numbers?

[Anonymous Coward]

Faked? No... I'm pretty sure 555 is a real number

Re:Phone Numbers?

[santiago]

The number given for Sergey Brin's home phone is the Google front desk.

Re:Phone Numbers?

[vigmeister]

I guess the post was too serious in tone - Was actually trying to get people to look and see that Sergey Brin's home phone number was listed as 650-253-0000 and have a chuckle at that...

The sadist in me probably also wanted people to call Jeff Bezos and get a fax line ;)

All in all, I think the moderator wanted to be metamoderated funny :))

Cheers!

Re:Phone Numbers?

[Anonymous Coward]

For now, but with the iPhone, will we also see the introduction of imaginary numbers? Call me, my iPhone number is sqrt(-30815954668944)

Re:Phone Numbers?

[arunkv]

This page sorta gives out phonenumbers to some important people... Wonder if/when they'll take it down... Or have the numbers been faked?
http://www.grandcentral.com/home/one_addressbook
They are not the phone numbers of the individuals listed. The number attributed to Jeff Bezos is 206-266-1000 is Amazon.com's local phone number in Seattle. The number attributed to Sergey Brinn 650-253-0000 is Google's local phone number in Mountain View. The next two with 555 are fake numbers.

I am not sure why we all want these web phones

[andy314159pi]

Nobody even calls me on my regular phone. :_(

Re:I am not sure why we all want these web phones

[bdjacobson]

Nobody even calls me on my regular phone. :_( I sent Google a recommendation through their online web recommendation form. They don't reply (didn't need them to), but they said they do read all the messages, and I figured they would. Anyhow, my idea was to let me leave voicemail for myself in my Gmail account as a todo list; for all the times I'm walking to class or in the car (well, on the bus) and don't have anything to write with/on and don't want to lug around a PDA.

I bet they might be thinking of something similar for their purchase.

Grand Central used some FreeDigits.com numbers

[aisnota]

Hello, Well it looks like Grand Central built a bit of its service on FreeDigits.com phone numbers. Did the due diligence at Google know this? Hmmm... Our virtual business world opens a pandoras box of unusual possibilities.

Re:Grand Central used some FreeDigits.com numbers

[Anonymous Coward]

um... and you determined this how? Freedigits isn't a CLEC, they just use some local Iowa LEC numbers for some of their services where they don't offer a local number, they get porting, local and EAS call completion, and new number resources from a national CLEC (probably Level 3). looking in the LERG, Grandcentral uses Level 3 as their backoffice CLEC for the numbers I checked (or a reseller, but I don't know why they wouldn't be dealing with them direct).

if they used webpoint communications (freedigits parent company) for their number resources I would be very, very surprised.

Figures...

[Anonymous Coward]

They just pulled custom MP3 files for "ring tones". I guess it was just a Google-Prep...

Re:Figures...

[sxtxixtxcxh]

they also changed the way their call recording works, i put the full text of their email here: http://prototypecreative.com/blog/2007/06/grandcen tral-changes-call-recording-feature/
since they never put it up on their site.

Woohoo!

[cduffy]

I have an account with Grand Central -- and as I see it, this move means I don't need to worry about that going away as they try to find a working business model. Woot! (Integration with Google Talk or such would be nifty, too -- though I really want to be able to forward my number to any arbitrary SIP address; supposedly, that was on the roadmap).

Re:Woohoo!

[Anonymous Coward]

I had exactly the same thought. I've been using grandcentral as my "main" number for anybody that's not a personal friend. Now I don't have to worry that the number will be invalid in 6 months.

Buzz Factory Gone Awry?

[asphaltjesus]

First of all, shame on me for not selling my asterisk/sip server/postgresql/LDAP skillz to Google for a wad of cash. I'd need some buzz-worthy management overhead and a couple of lawyers and bankers too.

I'm not sure why Google gets to be the bad guy here. Telecommunications is way, way overdue for some amazing advances and Google is big enough to put a dent in the telcos armor. Anyone who has implemented an sip server and the asterisk alternatives would probably agree. That's not a dig on asterisk, it's just not the best tool for SIP services.

Better jump on it now

[TWDsje]

If anyone is interested in this service I would recommend you get over to www.grandcentral.com and apply for an invitation now since registrations for the service will be limited while they move over to the Google network.

Mixed Feelings

[Jedi Holocron]

I've had a GrandC entral number for a while now. I set it up with the plan that, I could finally get rid of my AT&T cellur phone and go pre-paid, but not be tied to any one company.

I haven't yet done that, but I have been using the GrandCentral number for more of my business use. I think it works well and I haven't been using the verous special features, such as "ListenIn".

I think what held me back from making the final switch-over to the new number was concern about the viability of Grand Central long term. Well, I think the Google acquisition solves that problem. Google isn't going away anytime soon.

So, I guess, in the end I'm please they were acquired. The funny thing was I was on the site earlier yesterday to get a number set up for my wife, but didn't do it. Now, I'll have to send myself an invite to set up that other number. Oh well...

Re:Mixed Feelings

[DansnBear]

Anyone happen to have an extra invite to send my way? From the description this is what i have been looking for. . .

Re:Mixed Feelings

[Em Ellel]

I think what held me back from making the final switch-over to the new number was concern about the viability of Grand Central long term. Well, I think the Google acquisition solves that problem. Google isn't going away anytime soon. I have had my GC number for a while, and besides viability there are a number of other technical issues that I have had. Namely:

1 - Reliability - the week I signed up and started using the service, most of the calls did not in fact go through - calls would go to silence or ring forever

2 - Capability - While the idea of rules based call routing is nice, implementation is very rudamentary - I really wish it was a lot more capable.- Of course this is fixable, esp with Google's backing.

3 - Security - Using caller ID as means of verifying identity - no matter how convenient, is laughable. As an experiment I tried to "hack" into my own voice mail from my office line (it was set up to only work for my cell phone) Took me about 5 minutes (most spent figuring out how to spoof a number. Can repeat in under a minute) - Yes you need to know someone's cell number for this, but its not a huge secret for most people. I don't expect recent ruling that makes spoofing caller ID to fix this either

4 - Return Caller-ID - Unless you use a convoluted method for dialing out, the person you call will get your real number's caller ID - so they are much more likely to call back THAT number than your GC number. Its convoluted, but GC number is supposed to solve the 20 different phone numbers problem, but actually it just makes it a 21 number problem

-Em

Re:Mixed Feelings

[sirshannon]

can you send me an invite? :)

Re:Mixed Feelings

[garcia]

What makes you think that just because Google picked the company up that they will give it the support it needs to flourish?

Plenty of Google's recent purchases have been left to die (most notably Dodgeball) .

Just because we currently have a mostly positive view of Google and what they have done, doesn't mean that it's a rose garden for everything they buy.

Re:Mixed Feelings

[myatmpinis1234]

Does anyone know if GC works with SMS? That is the main thing keeping me off the service.

Re:Mixed Feelings

[wdavies]

Phone No's + Email == Too much Info?

I suspect a lot more 3rd party Info can be gained from phone numbers rather than emails. I think every CC, etc I ever signed up for has my telephone, but not my email.

I use Gmail happily, although some of the ads are still laughable, and TBH pretty fricking annoying.

Winton

faked.

[everphilski]

Jeff Bezos' work and home numbers are both phone numbers to amazon.com, neither direct to his desk.

Money for Nothin'

[Jedi Holocron]

Excellent...now I can reap the profits from selling Grand Central invites on eBay!!!

Google Monster

[Glennethh]

omg this is like the best thing i have heard all day. Besides my office falling apart from water leaks :D I might get to go home early... hahaha NOT. Anyway great move by google, this adding to their web services package. Google Monster Eats up any hope of any other dumb company that doesnt think of their users *COUGH*(MICROSOFT) Im glad google is doing this it will save me tonnes of money, but not on car insurance...just yet :)

I love this service

[Anonymous Coward]

I have been using this service for a few months now and love it. I love the fact that I can give out a number on online forms and what not and not have to worry about giving out my real number.

Also it has an amazing amount of features for a free service.. recording calls, online voicemail, email alerts, forward to multiple phones!

You can have caller ID show up as the number that is calling you, but what I like to do is have it set to my grand central number.. that way I know that the person calling my cell phone is calling my gc number.

Also I got this and gizmo to work together so I had a free phone service on my nokia internet tablet (well free 100 inbound minutes)..

All and all I 3 GC ... I hope it stays all FREE!!

AT&T still thinks they are a monopoly

[sjbe]

AT&T could have done well, if they'd just cared about the customer.

Disclosure: My father worked for AT&T->Ameritech->SBC->AT&T for 30 years and my grandfather for 20 years before that. I got to hear about them for most of my childhood. Hence my opinions of the company are significantly colored by his experiences but I think I understand the company fairly well.

To understand AT&T (note I didn't say accept or like) you have to understand that their corporate culture is that of a government sanctioned utility. For years AT&T was the only game in town until the early 1980s when the company was broken up. But there still was no competition, simply smaller regional versions of the same company and the company culture didn't change one bit. The company still thinks like a monopoly utility and behaves like one. Hence, their customer service tends to be crap because they are under the (often correct) opinion that you have little/no alternatives.

There are dedicated individuals working at AT&T to be sure but there are far too many stereotypical union paycheck collectors who don't give a damn. I've met more than a few personally and professionally. Your chances of interacting with one of these slackers is relatively high unfortunately.

I had the opportunity to sit in a meeting recently with Ed Whitacre, the outgoing CEO of AT&T. He was talking about strategy and some opinions about issues of the day including net neutrality, video services, bundled services, and a few others. Basically I came away thinking he was disingenuous and arrogant wrapped in an "aw shucks" good old boy routine. His opinions on the topics mentioned would set off a flame war here on slashdot. He spun weaknesses of their services (such as the smaller bandwidth for their video services versus cable) as if they were somehow what people wanted. He acted as if Google and every other web service were getting a better deal than they deserved. He didn't give a crap about the customer, he simply cares about the bottom line for AT&T. Not shocking to be sure but I expected the CEO to be at least a little less obvious about their contempt for their customers.

Recursion pays...

[vigmeister]

1) Set up a Grand Central account and link to your phone
2) Set up call forwarding to the GC phone number from your phone
3) ???
4) Profit (If you have stocks in Google / your carrier)

Seriously, what would happen if you self referenced your phone?
Cheers!

Re:Recursion pays...

[Jedi Holocron]

I've often wondered the same thing using two Gmail accounts.

How soon would it fill up both accounts?

Re:Recursion pays...

[c0p0n]

This.

Re:Recursion pays...

[Aspherical Cow]

I asked the Turtle this question. He told me to ask the Owl. Owl said "three."

Portability

[encoderer]

You do realize that you can port prepaid numbers, right? I'm assuming you're in the USA, and if you are, you can go buy a prepaid phone today from any carrier, and, at any time, port that number to any other carrier, be it another prepaid account or whatever.

Re:Portability

[Jedi Holocron]

Yes, yes, yes...I'm well aware of that.

And while you can do it, is generally a P.I.T.A.

Thusly, I'd rather avoid that annoyance.

Now, what would be better, is if I could port my existing number to Grand Central...then I'd only have to do it ONCE. (I've already suggested this idea to them.)

Re:Portability

[encoderer]

The only reason I brought it up is that I just did it. i ported my Cingular gophone number to Net10. Here was the process:

1. Buy a Net10 Phone. Put the SIM in.
2. Go to the Net10 website. Go to "Port Number" Enter in my number, my provider, my IMEI/SIM number from my new phone
3. Sumbit web form
4. Wait 30 minutes.
5. Use new phone.

Just that simple. Even I was surprised.

And if you're looking at prepaid plans: I had Verizon, Cingular, and now Net10. Net10 is the cheapest for me. It'll probably be the cheapest for you, too, unless you make MOST your calls in off-peak hours, in which you'd benefit from Cingular Pick Your Plan which included free nights & weekends.

Re:Portability

[Jedi Holocron]

Well, yes, if it is a 30 minute wait, then great. My previous experiences were not nearly as "clean".

As far as prepaid plans, I think T-Mobile has the best for what I want.

Re:Portability

[encoderer]

Actually, it sucked for me!

I filled out the web form at 5:30P after work. I grabbed my Cingular phone and left the house. Twenty Five minutes later I go to make a call - "SIM Not Registered" (or some such message). I was unable to stop back home and get my new phone--which was still charging anyway--and was without service the whole night.

T-Mobile does offer an attractive prepay plan. If you haven't looked at it, check out Alltel's plan as well. It's unique the way they do it.

I like Net10 because it uses the same network I was using (it uses Cingulars network) and it's always 10 cents a minute, no matter how big of a reload card you buy. The only downside is that it has no way to buy free nights & weekends. It also has a very attractive text message price of 5 cents a message. (Compare to Cingulars 15 cents and VZW's 25 cents)

I'd check it out, at least, if I were you. It's not a brand-name carrier, but it does have its advantages.

Of course they bought beta software

[ndelta]

I have been using Grand Central for a while and I have been dreaming about this. Google and Grand Central seem like a good match...as long as they stop taking away functionality and start adding more (like gmail voice mail integration). It didn't bother me to much when they started announcing to my callers that I was recording their call (I was expecting it) but taking away my custom mp3 rings. For shame. Seriously though, I enjoy the features in Grand Central so much I was actually considering paying for them when they went out of beta. Now that Google bought them though..Beta Forever Baby!!

GrandCentral Communications' new moto?

[niceone]

Do not dial EVIL?

...and no more custom ringbacks

[discHead]

Right up until the Google purchase, GrandCentral would allow people to customize their "RingShare" ringback tones in a way that was, I think, unique and unprecedented: You could upload your own MP3s and have GrandCentral play them to callers while your number was ringing.

This was a lot of fun. At a website called Telephone World, I found a great recording of a phone call made through an old Western Electric switch and edited it down to an "old school" ringback signal to use on GrandCentral.

It lasted less than a week for me. Apparently, part of the Google deal was removing the custom MP3 feature. Now there is just a lame "library" of pre-selected ringback tones. Google, RIAA, thanks for nothing.

Lets get it over with

[kalel666]

And just go to the logical conclusion; one number assigned to everyone at birth. It can be their phone number, social security number, etc. For ease of use, it will be tattooed on your forehead at birth with a laser. Women will by law have a laser installed in their vagina to implement this. We'll call it something cool, to facilitate acceptance.

I'm thinking "VAGER". Example: Is it too much to ask for frickin' sharks with VAGER's on their heads?

Re:Lets get it over with

[ColdWetDog]

Women will by law have a laser installed in their vagina to implement this.

Anybody else think this is a bad idea?

So let it begin

[Foo2rama]

It is only a matter of time until google officially went into this space, I have been saying for about 2 years that this was going to happen. With gmail activation requiring cellphone sms, and the Dodgeball purchase a year or 2 back. IMHO Google soon will be making a huge push into voip and telephony and the investment is just going to get bigger and bigger. I think this is the first big push.

No more GrandCentral for me

[Anonymous Coward]

GrandCentral was nice, and I was planning on dropping one phone with the help of their service. I don't want Google to know about my call habits, they already know more about me than I like.

A SINGLE mailbox?

[Anonymous Coward]

Yawn, wake me up when the future is here, with mailboxes free of penile enlargement or performance enhancing, Nigerian scamming, UK Lottery winning, single-teens awaiting, employment opportunity-a-knocking, prescription meds selling, or get rich quick spam.

Googles history with your data.

[Anonymous Coward]

Has it not occurred to people that Google, the company that indexes and maintains vast amounts of personal data might be interested in applying these same tactics in the future, perhaps if voice recognition improves to the point one could "index" a phone conversation?

I'm frankly a little worried, google is involved in so many things, what if they're able to one day use your conversations to send targeted ads to you?

Not new at all?

[PhraudulentOne]

I'm not sure I understand this acquisition. I work for a small Telco, and we have been able to provide these services for a couple of years now.

We can make all your phones ring, or just one, or in a certain order. We can selectively block calls, or block anonymous calls, etc. This can be configured through the web, or through 'star codes' on your phone. Any number, or hop, can be redirected to your own voice mail, or certain numbers can go to their own voice mail. The voice mail system emails you your messages, and you can delete them via email, or through your phone.

What's so special about Grand Central? Why didn't Google just start their own service - all the tools are readily available to do this. Was it just to 'buy' the customers?

Re:Not new at all?

[Ohreally_factor]

Does you company do visual voicemail? Can I look at my voicemail queue on the web, and identify the callers, cross index with my address book or contact software? Does your Telco offer APIs to developers who want to tie in your service with other apps and services?

Re:Not new at all?

[PhraudulentOne]

"Does you company do visual voicemail? Can I look at my voicemail queue on the web, and identify the callers.."

Yes.

"cross index with my address book or contact software? Does your Telco offer APIs to developers who want to tie in your service with other apps and services?"

No.

What I'm saying is that most of the technology already exists for this type of system, for far less than buying a company. Everything I listed in my previous post cost less than $400k in total, and that's including the switch to a whole heap of other things that aren't related to voicemail.

Re:Not new at all?

[Ohreally_factor]

Fair enough.

Interesting social dynamics.

[Futurepower(R)]

Thanks for the information. I knew AT&T (a new name for SBC) is disfunctional, but I didn't know the social dynamics. I posted several ideas in comments in this thread in another story: AT&T is NOT AT&T, it is SBC.

Speech recognition and voicemail?

[FleaPlus]

This makes me wonder if Google will try coupling any of their speech recognition tech with GrandCentral's voicemail inbox. It'd be quite awesome to get text summaries of your voicemails, and then click on them to hear the full thing.

free t-shirt for invite

[farmerted]

The first GC user to invite me into the service gets a free "database security" t-shirt ("save the database... save the world").

Stanford System

[sethstorm]

Isnt it standard protocol to do this at Google?