Google Voice has overcome two of its biggest obstacles to mass adoption: a way onto the iPhone, as well as a way for subscribers to use the service without changing their number.
The move essentially robs the carrier of any hand in hosting voicemail services for their customers. The Internet giant last night said that Google Voice subscribers can use Google Voicemail without changing their phone number.
The new service provides a backdoor onto the iPhone by allowing users to reroute their carrier voicemail to a Google Voice account. In the past, Google Voice subscribers have had to commit to a new phone number, which many users were reluctant to do.
Google Voice features are limited for those who choose to keep their legacy number and forgo the unique Google Voice number. Those who keep their legacy number will not be able to forward calls to other phones, conference call, record calls or send text messages.
Nevertheless, even the limited Google Voicemail features represent an enhancement to standard carrier services. Google Voice subscribers who keep their legacy number are still provided with visual voicemail (voice to text) and custom voice greetings for specific callers.
While the new service does tap the iPhone in a limited sense, it’s still no replacement for a Google Voice App. Wireless Week did limited testing of the new service on the iPhone. The individualized messages for specific callers worked well. However, the visual voicemail translation is simply not accurate enough to rely upon. For lack of a Google Voice App, iPhone users who want to listen to their voicemails will still have to open a separate browser window in order to listen to each message saved to their account.
Apple, Google and AT&T have been embroiled in an FCC inquiry into Apple’s rejection of the Google Voice app from Apple’s App Store. Apple said it had not rejected the application but was holding it for further review. Later, Google produced a letter that said that Apple rejected the app because it did not want applications that “duplicated the core dialer functionality of the iPhone.”
As of press time, AT&T had not released a response to the new service. The service requires a Google Voice account and that users dial a long code from their phone to activate the voicemail service.

Apple, AT&T and Google on Friday all replied to the FCC’s letters of inquiry regarding the companies’ roles in the rejection of the Google Voice application by Apple’s App Store, with Apple saying it hasn’t actually rejected the application – it just hasn’t been approved.

As part of a wider directive from the Obama Administration to investigate competition in the wireless industry, the FCC asked the three companies to explain what exactly Google Voice is and why it was rejected from the Apple App Store.

Google described its service as an “enhanced voice and data messaging application that provides number management and related services to users who have one or more existing wireline or mobile phone services.” Additionally, Google acknowledged that users can make calls using the service, which Google said, “utilizes the carrier voice network from the application.”

But it wasn’t use of the carrier’s network to place calls that bothered Apple. The iPhone maker denied allegations that it has rejected the Google Voice app at all. A letter from the company stated that Apple “continues to study it. The application has not been approved because, as submitted for review, it appears to alter the iPhone’s distinctive user experience by replacing the iPhone’s core mobile telephone functionality and Apple user interface with its own user interface, for telephone calls, text messaging, and voicemail.”

AT&T and Apple denied any kind of collusion with AT&T in the review, approval or rejection of the application. AT&T saw a backlash after the application was rejected as many critics of the move accused the carrier of asking Apple to reject the application.

Both companies acknowledged certain contractual obligations designed to protect AT&T’s network health and the iPhone’s integrity. For instance, Apple noted that “there is a provision in Apple’s agreement with AT&T that obligates Apple not to include functionality in any Apple phone that enables a customer to use AT&T’s cellular network service to originate or terminate a VoIP session without obtaining AT&T’s permission.” Further, Apple acknowledged that it did not know if there was a VoIP element to Google Voice.

AT&T did say it would review its policy regarding VoIP applications running on its network, stating: “We plan to take a fresh look at possibly authorizing VoIP capabilities on the iPhone for use on AT&T’s 3G network. AT&T will promptly update the Commission regarding any such change in its policies.”

Meanwhile, VoIP service provider Skype released a statement applauding AT&T’s willingness to “take a fresh look at authorizing VoIP capabilities on the iPhone over AT&T’s 3G network.”Because VoIP services allow cheap voice calls and messaging, most have been relegated to only working over a Wi-Fi connection.