Google is now offering its own "triple play" with the launch of Google Fiber Phone, its own home phone service.
Fiber Phone is priced at $10 per month which includes unlimited local and nationwide calls. The fee also includes standard amenities like caller ID, call waiting and 911 services in addition to voicemail transcription - a service that will transcribe your voice messages and send them to you via text or e-mail. For international calls, Fiber Phone offers the same rates as Google Voice.
Since your Fiber Phone number lives in the cloud, it can be used almost anywhere and on nearly any phone, tablet or notebook. The service can ring your "landline" when you're at home or a mobile device when you're out and about.
Why in the world would Google launch a home phone service at a time when the majority of the population has moved to mobile phones? For familiarity sake, says Google Fiber product manager John Shriver-Blake.
Google will be introducing Fiber Phone in a few areas to start although the company didn't specify which areas would get it first. Google Fiber is currently offered in just four cities - Austin, Kansas City, Provo and Atlanta - and is rolling out to seven additional cities with other potential targets being looked at.
Over time, Google Phone will expand to residential customers in all of Google's fiber cities. Anyone that wants to be notified when Fiber Phone service comes to their area can sign up by clicking here.