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Google Voice Calls: Free Conference Calling and Much More

The current times are all about technology. Gone are the days when writing letters were the main medium of communication, as the field of communication has improved massively. The world of communication has a gem known as “conference calling” which is available in both modes; audio and video. For companies, conference calling is a matter of survival as it is an ideal way to connect with remote workers, hire talent from abroad, and manage a group of people at one time. Talking about the situation, we all know the COVID-19 outbreak has left us with no option, and businesses are bound to use conference calling to manage their day-to-day activities. Even meetings are now holding on conference calls, as no one is allowed to leave their house. Though Conferencing apps are at their boom due to pandemics, they are the fruit of all seasons, as every now and then you need to contact multiple people who are not living near you. 

One of the most trusted VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) options for individuals as well as professionals is; Google Voice Call conferencing. You can contact a bunch of people at a time and maintain the work routine with ease. Google voice for business is one of the most affordable yet secure options for voice call conferencing for professionals. Wondering why is it so appealing? We have the list of features that are the reason for its popularity. 

Features of Google Voice Call:

1. It offers Call routing and call blocking
2. You can Switch phone devices while receiving a call
3. It has Voicemail notifications via SMS or email
4. PC-to-PC video and voice global calling for free
5. It includes the “Voicemail transcribed to text” feature 
6. Set particular phones to ring based on the caller
7. It offers PC-to-phone free Google voice calling within North America 
8. Voice call recording
9. Google voice call is free
10. Voice text and Voice SMS
11. International calls at lower rates
12. Customize greeting messages for callers
13. Preview your voicemail before sending it.
14. High-quality audio call with Google voice. 

So are you all ready to get started with Google Voice call, let’s pull the curtains: 

What do You Require for a Google Voice call?

The foremost thing you need to place a google voice call is a Google account. There will be very few people who won’t have a Google account, so if you are the one, make one right away. Getting back to the topic, you need a computer, tablet, or a Smartphone to make Google Voice calls. Having a stable internet connection is another mandate to get benefit from the Google Voice conference system. Both iOS and Android devices would work for Google calls. And, the same remains true to Google hangouts conference calls. So, the requirements are very minimal; all you need is an account, a device, and an internet connection. 

How to Set-up a Google Voice Account?

First, make sure you are signed in to your Google account. and then You need to set-up the Google voice number. This number will act as your identity number while making calls. To make a Google Voice number for you, try these steps:

1. Go to the Google voice official site: https://voice.google.com/
2. You need to select from two options i.e. “For personal use” or “For professional use”
3. On clicking on “For personal use” you will next three options namely: iOS, Android, and web. Pick one that suits you. 
4. On clicking on “For business” you will be re-directed to a page with the “Get started” option. 
5. And, when you click on it, you need to select the plan of your choice
6. Next, you need to sign-up using your Google email address
7. But if you click any of the options from the “for personal use” option, you need to set up a Google voice number for your account. 
8. To set the Google voice number for your account, you need to choose any nearby location from the drop-down menu.
9. And, then select any of the numbers from the list that looks like this
10. Once you, select you need to verify your existing phone number. So click on the “verify” option from the next screen
11. Type your number on the prompted box and then verify by providing the 6-digit code you receive on your phone. The inbound call is directed to your provided number.
12. After verifying click on ‘Claim’ to allow the call-forwarding on your phone.
13. Click on “finish” to wrap up the process of Settings Google voice number. 

How to Make a Conference Call with Google Voice?

To start a conference call, all participants need to agree on a particular time to be online. They all need to call at the same time on your Google voice number. Start a conversation with any of the contacts and then add the other callers one by one. 

1. After starting the call, you can allow the other participants to join the call. While you are already on one call, you will receive an alert whenever you have a new call. To accept other calls and make it a conference call, press 5 after you receive notification for a call.
2. You get an option to record your conference call in Google Voice. For this, you need to go to Settings>>Calls>>Incoming calls. But to record the conference call, all the participants should be on the call. To control the recording (start or stop), press the 4 key on your keyboard.  When you start the recording every person on the call will receive a notification. 

What is the Google Voice Conference Call Limit?

Google Voice call may not be the best fit for large enterprises, as the free account allows you to add 10 participants and with a paid account the limit extends to 25 participants. So, it is best for small-sized businesses or meetings where limited participants are invited on a call. But if you are looking to manage the entire enterprise on a voice conference call, it might disappoint you. You can even consider Google Hangout calls as that’s an apt alternative for Google Voice calls.

A Final Verdict:

Google voice call is a very basic yet decent option for voice conferencing, but as there are very few tools available in the calls, it may not suit huge companies. In a nutshell, if you want to call up to 25 people at a time and need an option that offers an impressive voice quality, Google voice is totally meant for you. But if you are into a bigger business, you can get the list of best conferencing apps here.

READ NEXT: A Detailed Guide to Using Zoom (Video Conferencing App)

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Manpreet Kaur Sandhu

Senior Writer, Editor, and Copywriter with a total of 7 years of experience in the niche of emails, troubleshooting, and social media. She writes and manages a team of 10 senior writers.