It will be the dawn of a new year for Google Voice users, as GrandCentral will be completely shut down by the last day of this year. Assimilation has already been completed, but the Google empire has yet to close down the old GrandCentral site.
In a note to GrandCentral users, Google asked that they download any old messages or contacts that they might have stored on the site in preparation for the imminent shutdown. Google has already transitioned GrandCentral users over to Google Voice, but up until now, users could still use the website to access old messages. Those messages will be lost at the end of the year unless these legacy users download them for safe keeping.
Last week rumors started to emerge about a new Google phone that would use data for VoIP-based voice calls. I guess it's about time to unify all their voice offerings under the correct brand names.
For more:
- read this blog post [1]
Related articles
Google's gPhone is back but it might be VoIP-based [2]
Forget Skype, Google acquires Gizmo5 VoIP startup instead [3]
GoogleVoice has 1.4M users; reveals partner companies [4]
Google enables traffic-pumping workaround on Voice, calls for reform [5]
Links:
[1] http://mashable.com/2009/11/21/grandcentral-website-shuts-down/
[2] http://www.fiercevoip.com/story/rumor-mill-google-launch-voip-phone/2009-11-18
[3] http://www.fiercevoip.com/story/forget-skype-google-acquires-gizmo5-voip-startup-instead/2009-11-09
[4] http://www.fiercevoip.com/story/googlevoice-has-1-4m-users-reveals-partner-companies/2009-11-02
[5] http://www.fiercevoip.com/story/google-enables-traffic-pumping-workaround-calls-reform/2009-10-29-0
[6] http://www.fierceenterprisecommunications.com/story/its-official-google-gets-gizmo5/2009-11-15
[7] http://www.fierceenterprisecommunications.com/special-reports/rise-googles-enterprise-empire
[8] http://www.fierceenterprisecommunications.com/story/google-voice-begins-accepting-new-users/2009-06-25