Google Voice is able to route calls to other phone numbers, features a voicemail service, accessible directly from your phone or browser, that also allows archiving just like GMail, but for audio messages.

Google Voice is a free service that will allow users to combine all of their phone numbers and transfer calls to all of their devices, convert voice calls to text messages, call multiple parties at once and make discounted international calls.

Outbound calls from those devices will still show whatever phone number is assigned to it, though. But Google has that covered, too. We’ve learned that they are preparing to launch apps for the major smartphone platforms that will automatically route outbound calls through Google Voice. That means whoever you call will see your Google Voice number as the caller.

Until now, Google acquired over 1 million phone numbers and now they are preparing to open up the service for more people or even make it public for everyone. The phone numbers have been acquired by Google.

Scheduling is another excellent feature.The user can specify dates and hours when Google directs the calls to a phone number and in the rest of the time, the calls will be directed to another number. You can get your calls during work hours at your desk and during weekends at home or any other number, it’s just that easy.

Google Voice, for the unfamiliar, allows users to use a virtual number that can be programmed to ring at any number of the user’s choosing – home, office, mobile or even temporarily at the in-laws place in the country where cell phone service is hit-and-miss, at best.

It also allows users to send and receive SMS messages through the number and offers voicemail transcription services that can be delivered to users via e-mail or SMS text message.

Google has continued to keep the old company GrandCentral’s services, but has not allowed new users to sign up. Currently only GrandCentral’s users have access to Google Voice and new numbers are only available for American area codes.

Google is only testing the service for now, but some source inside Google says that they plan to roll out number portability as a general feature later this year. Once that happens, users will be able to move the phone number they’ve had forever to Google, and avoid the switching costs.