OREM, Utah - Google may become the premier phone and Internet Company of the century, as it begins tackle existing giants such as AT&T, Apple, and Verizon.

Google, the search engine turned computer industry behemoth, recently launched Google Voice which allows anyone with a Google account to have his or her own universal phone number.

Voice enables users to create their own phone number, with perks.  This phone number allows you to do one stop shopping.  Voice will forward any call made to the universal number to any number of devices including cell phones, landlines, and Skype.  The system even works with text messages.   Most importantly, Google Voice is free.

When asked about Google Voice, Brandon, a 22-year-old student at Utah Valley University said  “I have way too many numbers and some people know my cell number and others know my home phone, I can get the call even when they don’t know my cell.”

Voice, however has met some opposition from another industry giant, Apple.  Upon releasing the Google Voice application for the iPhone, the app was denied by Apple.  Apple claimed that Google Voice subverted several built-in apps on the iPhone.  These apps make it possible to make phone calls over AT&T’s voice network and send text messages.  Not that this affected the iPhone’s sales for the quarter as Apple’s stock continued to climb.

Hannah, another UVU student, thinks that Google is “too big, they do some good things but they are everywhere.  That’s not good”

Google Voice may be the start of something bigger since Google recently acquired Gizmo5 for $30 million in cash.  Gizmo5 offered audio and video calls, chat, and free voicemail for pennies a minute.  Many economists believe that Google may be making a break into the phone industry. 

Should Google do this with a Gizmo5 based web platform instead of cellular frequencies, telephone costs across the board may begin a downward spiral.  With cheaper service for smart phones, namely those loaded with Google’s Mobile OS – Android, Google could turn from underdog to top dog by offering the best and cheapest mobile network.

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On the Net:

Google Voice:  http://www.google.com/googlevoice/about.html

Google Voice Blog:  http://googlevoiceblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/google-welcomes-gizmo5.html