Google Extends Free US/Canada Calling through Gmail Until December 31, 2012

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December 14 update: Good news! Google has extended their free calling to US and Canadian phone numbers through 2012. This feature is now in its third year and is a great way to save on long-distance bills.

Originally posted January 10, 2011:Here's some good news from Google! In August we reported that Google had rolled out free calling to US and Canadian phone numbers. The only catch was that it would only be available through the end of 2010. Happily, Google announced that they're continuing to offer the service for free through 2011. This is a huge boon for anyone looking to save on long-distance bills or cellphone plans.

If you haven't yet used this feature, when you're within Gmail, click "Call Phone", select the country you wish to call and then enter the phone number. Make sure that you have speakers and a microphone hooked up to your computer. As we said above, you'll be able to call any Canadian or US number for free. You can call other countries for about 2Â¢ a minute.

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- K2`
- and google voice still works if you have a 403 number, which you can use on your iPhone.
  
  google/search forums if you don't know how that works.
- CalgaryRunner
- and google voice still works if you have a 403 number, which you can use on your iPhone.
  
  google/search forums if you don't know how that works.
  I tried signing up with Google Voice last weekend with my 403 number, and it didn't work. I think they closed that loophole.
- packardbell
- justmoe
- that bug was fixed ages ago.
- spliced
- can you use this with an ipod touch? I don't need to talk I just want to phone a number to listen to a conference call type thing.
- deal_with_singh
- I've been using this service ever since it came out, has come in really handy when I need to find my phone lol.
  
  Also, anyone know if theres an app on the iPhone that lets you use this on that?
- ilove
- Thank God for Google.
- Hexxed
- I've been using this service ever since it came out, has come in really handy when I need to find my phone lol.
  
  Also, anyone know if theres an app on the iPhone that lets you use this on that?
  Talkatone for the iPod, iPhone and iPad works great with Google Talk. Just make sure you've used Google Talk (the app, the chat in Gmail, or whenever) at least once on a PC first. Used it in 5 countries in the past few years without a problem. Works great and is the best price ever, free.
- justmoe
- do not confuse this with google voice. this is the addon to gmail that allows you to call from within your browser. google voice is a voip type service which you can not get in canada. the cheat by using a sourthern alberta area code was fixed by google ages ago. it allowed an google number to be created but required and local number to forward to which had to be in the US except for that 403 area code back when it launched.
- Shazam
- great news, I use gmail phone all the time!
- chimp
- a few things:
  
  if you have a google voice account, talkatone on iPhone works(including voice dial using data to US/Canada PSTN #, not the callback). you can also call other countries but you need credit in your GV account.
  
  the 'call a phone plugin' in the browser would tie to your google voice number(if you have one)
  
  they seem to have changed a bit lately in that I need to use my US proxy to login my gmail in order for the voice plugin to work.
- Fantaz
- Maybe I was living under a rock, but I didn't even know that Google offered this... Thanks OP!
- markj
- do not confuse this with google voice. this is the addon to gmail that allows you to call from within your browser. google voice is a voip type service which you can not get in canada. the cheat by using a sourthern alberta area code was fixed by google ages ago. it allowed an google number to be created but required and local number to forward to which had to be in the US except for that 403 area code back when it launched.
  they must have grandfathered us 403 users cause my google voice is still working great...have been using it for a few years now..
- andysh
- they must have grandfathered us 403 users cause my google voice is still working great...have been using it for a few years now..
  ditto
- infimis
- I thought Google voice was here to stay for free.. it would suck when its not free anymore. I actually cancelled my skype and started using Google to dial out to US/CA.
- donx
- just use nettalk on iPhone or Android phones or even ipod touch/iPad, it is free and you can call US and Canada for free...
- Pitta905
- just use nettalk on iPhone or Android phones or even ipod touch/iPad, it is free and you can call US and Canada for free...
  I've been with Google with 'Free Phone Line - 403 area code' twist for a long time; but the quality hasn't been the best...
  
  I'll give Nettalk a try! Nice find, thanks!
- donx
- I've been with Google with 'Free Phone Line - 403 area code' twist for a long time; but the quality hasn't been the best...
  
  I'll give Nettalk a try! Nice find, thanks!
  I have free Canadian long distance on my cell phone plan, but when I am on the road, Nettalk was quite handy for making US calls because it is such hassel to use a PC to make Gmail call. The quality is not bad, but they seemed to have 30 mins limit for each call, then you will have to redial. I have used it for probably more than a year, around 4-5 times.
- animaloc
- I have free Canadian long distance on my cell phone plan, but when I am on the road, Nettalk was quite handy for making US calls because it is such hassel to use a PC to make Gmail call. The quality is not bad, but they seemed to have 30 mins limit for each call, then you will have to redial. I have used it for probably more than a year, around 4-5 times.
  I can't register on Nettalk. It says my email is being used by another account and I have never signed up before. I have tried with alternate e-mail addresses and get the same message... Any help?
  Thanks!
  I
- donx
- I can't register on Nettalk. It says my email is being used by another account and I have never signed up before. I have tried with alternate e-mail addresses and get the same message... Any help?
  Thanks!
  I
  I registered long time ago, wonder if something changed. But I would suggest contacting the support of NetTalk to solve your problem...
- rivet
- Is there an equivalent Android app to nettalk?
  
  just use nettalk on iPhone or Android phones or even ipod touch/iPad, it is free and you can call US and Canada for free...
- donx
- Is there an equivalent Android app to nettalk?
  There is indeed an Android app for nettalk that I also installed recently on my Android phones.
- pathfinder35
- There's also Bobsleb - by T-Mobile - for free calls to US and Canada. It's kinda hooked up with Facebook but you can use the Dialpad in Bobsleb to call anyone, not just Facebook people. Has IOS, andrioid and browser software.
- animaloc
- I registered long time ago, wonder if something changed. But I would suggest contacting the support of NetTalk to solve your problem...
  Thanks! It looks like while it gave me the error message it had already registered the information...
- DougO
- Not sure how I'd use these on either the Playbook (when they have Android apps available) or the Ipad 2. Some require a paid account I think (like Nettalk) though the app is free. Will have to investigate further. Not sure this would save much money for me as I only call infrequently and the few people I know around the world have mostly free dialout service anyway if they want to call me. Thanks though...