To take advantage of Google Voice’s telephony management features, users have had to fulfill a tricky requirement: convince
their contacts to call them using the single "phone number for life" that comes with this free online service.
Not anymore. Google has decided to relax the requirement that all calls must come in via the Google number, and is making
available a range of features under its voicemail service to calls made directly to users’ cell phones.
Starting Tuesday, existing Voice users will be able to link their cell phones to the Voice voicemail feature. New members
will get the option to sign up for a Google phone number and all Voice features, or sign up only for the cell phone voicemail
service.
The link will work via the cell phone’s conditional call forwarding service, which diverts calls to a specified number if
they go unanswered for a certain number or rings or if the cell phone is out of the service area. Google won’t charge for
the service although cellular carriers may charge depending on the service plan.