Google grabs Gizmo Project

Google has increased its presence in the web telephony space with the acquisition of VoIP pioneer Gizmo5.

Gizmo5, which was formerly known as the Gizmo Project, and SIPphone before that, develops internet telephony software for mobile devices and PCs. Google did not say how much it paid for the firm, but the price tag is thought to be in the region of $30m.

Gizmo5’s engineers will be joining the Google Voice team, which expanded into telephony space following its 2007 acquisition of GrandCentral.

Current Gizmo5 users will still be able to use the service, though new signups have been suspended for the time being.

GrandCentral Communications offers users a single, lifetime phone number that can be linked to any number of up to six phones or accounts, allowing users to select which callers go to which phone – work, home, mobile – as well as providing a central mailbox for all services, which is available to access online. Different voicemail greetings can be set for different callers.

Under the moniker of Google Voice, GrandCentral also offers features including call screening; listen in before taking a call; block calls; send, receive, and store text messages; call US numbers for free; direct calls to any of your phones; call forwarding; conference calling; record calls and store them online; switch phones during a call; access your inbox from your mobile; voicemail transcripts; personalised greetings; receive voicemails via email or SMS.