Can you get a UK Google Voice number?

What is Google Voice?

Google Voice is a phone service from Google that provides users with a free phone number for calls, texts, and voicemail. It works by routing calls through a user’s Google Voice number, allowing them to separate their personal and work calls. Some key features of Google Voice include:

Free phone number – Users can select a phone number with their choice of available area code
Voicemail transcriptions – Voicemails are automatically transcribed and emailed to the user

Text messaging – The Google Voice number can send and receive texts
Call screening – Users can screen calls by listening in before deciding whether to answer
Call recording – Users can record inbound and outbound calls

Web interface – Google Voice can be managed through a web interface or mobile app

Google Voice integrates with users’ existing phone numbers, allowing them to seamlessly transition calls, voicemails, and texts to their Google Voice account. It’s a popular alternative phone system for managing business calls as well as personal calls.

Sources:

https://www.crazyegg.com/blog/how-does-google-voice-work/

https://www.infiflex.com/google-voice–features-and-benefits

Is Google Voice available in the UK?

Google Voice is currently only available in the United States and its territories (US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, etc.). Unfortunately, Google Voice is not available in the UK or anywhere else outside the US at this time.

Even though Google Voice itself is not accessible in the UK, Google does offer the paid Google Workspace version of Google Voice for business customers in the UK. This enterprise product comes with advanced features like call routing, voicemail transcription, company phone numbers, and more.

However, regular consumers still cannot sign up for free personal Google Voice numbers in the UK. This is mainly due to regulatory issues and differences in telecommunication laws between the US and UK.

So in summary – the free consumer version of Google Voice is limited only to the United States. But UK businesses can pay for Google Voice services through Google Workspace.

Can you get a UK number with Google Voice?

No, you cannot directly get a UK number with Google Voice. Google Voice is currently only available in the United States. When you sign up for Google Voice, you are assigned a free US phone number that can be used for calling, texting, and voicemail. However, Google Voice does not provide the ability to get a UK number.

As stated on Reddit, “The only way to get a Google Voice UK number is to buy a Google Voice Workplace subscription.” [1] Google Voice Workplace is a paid version of Google Voice only available to enterprise customers in the US. So even with a Workspace subscription, you still cannot directly get a UK number.

Some workarounds like using a VPN to sign up for Google Voice from a UK IP address may work initially. However, Google often detects and disables numbers obtained this way. So there is no reliable method currently to get a native UK number with the free or standard version of Google Voice.

Workarounds to get a UK Google Voice number

Since Google Voice is only available in the US, some users have found workarounds to get a UK Google Voice number. One method is to use a VPN to make it appear like you’re accessing Google Voice from the US. As explained on PureVPN’s website, you can follow these steps:

Connect to a US-based VPN server
Go to the Google Voice website and sign into your Google account

Accept the terms of service and privacy policy
Enter a US phone number to verify your account
Once verified, you can now get a UK Google Voice number

The key is using the VPN to bypass Google Voice’s geolocation restrictions. However, there are limitations – you would need ongoing access to a US IP address to use Google Voice features. Another workaround is to forward calls from a real UK number to Google Voice, but this takes more setup.1

Limitations of a UK Google Voice number

While it is possible to get a UK phone number through Google Voice, there are some limitations to be aware of:

First, the caller ID that shows up for the person you are calling will display an international number, rather than a local UK number. This is because Google Voice currently does not have local UK numbers, so your calls will appear to be from an international Google Voice number (Source).

Second, UK callers may incur higher costs when calling your Google Voice number, since it is treated as an international call. Regular landline and mobile rates for international calls apply when someone calls your Google Voice number from the UK (Source).

So while getting a UK Google Voice number is possible, keep in mind the caller ID and potential higher costs for UK callers when using it.

Alternatives for a UK Virtual Phone Number

While Google Voice is not available in the UK, there are some alternative services that offer virtual phone numbers:

Skype (https://www.skype.com) – Skype allows you to get an online phone number in over 60 countries including the UK. You can use the number to make and receive calls as well as text messages. Skype numbers start from around £1.50 per month.

Vonage (https://www.vonage.com) – Vonage provides virtual business phone numbers in the UK and other countries. Pricing starts at around £3 per month per number. Features include call forwarding, voicemail and an online dashboard.

Other VoIP services like RingCentral, Grasshopper and Ooma also offer virtual phone numbers in the UK that can be used for a business or personal use.

So while Google Voice itself is not available, there are a number of alternative options for getting a virtual UK phone number to use for calls, SMS, call forwarding and more.

Key features of Google Voice

Google Voice offers several useful features that make it stand out from traditional phone services. Some of the key features include:

Voicemail transcription – Google Voice can transcribe voicemail messages and deliver them to your email inbox as text. This makes voicemails easier to digest quickly.

Call screening – The call screening feature lets you screen calls and listen to a caller leave a voicemail in real-time. You can then choose to pick up, hang up, or let the call go to voicemail.

Online management – Google Voice provides an online dashboard to manage your account, voicemail, call logs, contacts, and more. This allows you to access and manage your Google Voice account from any web browser.

Other notable features include call forwarding, multiple phone numbers, voicemail greeting management, do not disturb mode, blocking numbers, and more. Overall, Google Voice provides a robust set of features for a virtual phone service.

Comparison of Google Voice vs other voicemail services

Google Voice offers several unique features compared to traditional phone carrier voicemail services and other virtual phone number providers. One of the most useful features is voicemail transcription. Google Voice can automatically transcribe voicemail messages and send them to you as text. This allows you to quickly read voicemails instead of having to listen to every message.

According to an article on Google Support, Google Voice will wait 30 seconds before forwarding a call to voicemail, which is longer than some carrier services. This helps ensure the call reaches Google voicemail instead of your carrier voicemail.

Other key advantages of Google Voice voicemail include receiving voicemails via email and text so you don’t need to dial in. It also provides unlimited storage for voicemails compared to carriers that delete older messages. Overall, Google Voice voicemail stands out for its convenience, transcription abilities, and integration with other Google services.

Future availability of Google Voice in the UK

Google has not yet announced any official plans to launch Google Voice in the UK. The service currently remains limited to the United States. There has been speculation and user requests for Google Voice to expand to other countries, but Google has not confirmed when or if this might happen.

Some industry analysts predict that Google may eventually roll out Google Voice across more regions, as part of their strategy to increase adoption of messaging and communication services. However, Google has made no statements confirming if or when Google Voice would launch in the UK or Europe.

For now, those in the UK have no option but to use workarounds if they want a Google Voice number. Unless Google announces future plans, the service looks set to remain US-only for the foreseeable future. UK users hoping to use Google Voice will have to continue waiting and seeing if Google ever decides to expand availability to additional countries.

Sources:
https://nu3814ny43.xn--96-6kcpfqbrttbjgs2gvb1cv2a.xn--p1ai/

Summary

In summary, Google Voice is not officially available in the UK at this time, but there are some workarounds that allow you to get a virtual UK phone number through Google Voice. However, there are limitations – you may not be able to receive texts or voicemails to your UK Google Voice number reliably. Some users have managed to get it working, but it requires setting your location to the US and using a forwarding service or VPN. For most people in the UK, using an alternative virtual phone service that offers native UK numbers is a better option than trying to get Google Voice to work. Skype, Vonage, and other providers offer more full-featured virtual numbers and calling plans in the UK.

The key takeaways are:

Google Voice is currently only available in the US
It is possible but challenging to get a UK number with workarounds
Functionality may be limited compared to native UK virtual numbers

Alternatives like Skype, Vonage, etc. are likely a better choice
Google may expand Google Voice to the UK eventually, but no timeline is confirmed

Hopefully this gives you a better understanding of the options for getting a virtual phone number in the UK and whether Google Voice works.