Has anyone else been able to try Google Voice yet? It can be set up so someone calls you at one number, and it gets forwarded to multiple numbers at once. Right now I think it's still "beta" and you need an invite to get in.
It also records voicemail instead of it going to your phone, which is good, and has a speech to text theory which is in theory good, but that part of the system appears to need some work. Once a voicemail goes through that process it's also sent as an SMS message (also a nice feature). Speech to text takes a minute or two to run. With one sample so far it''s about 60% right.
This could be a good way to shorten the alert roster, one call a person instead of trying someones work, home, and cell #.
We are testing the system with our incorporation of Google Apps. I'll keep you posted.
It has more capabilities than that. Here's a short list of ideas I have had for Google Voice (or an inevitable Microsoft competitor product...)
1. As you mentioned, the Multi-Point Ring, First Answer functionality allows you to have calls ring at ALL of your phones and they automagically transfer to the first one that you pick up. I have my business calls (and yes, you can filter which kinds of calls go where) ring at my Mobile and my Home Phone, except after 1700, then only on my Mobile. Family calls get through to all phones at all hours, as would CAP Alerting calls.
2. You can Add Phones to your list in about 1 minute. So, when we establish an Incident Command Post in some FBO, the IC can take 1 minute and now have all of his CAP calls ring through to that land-line, instead of depending on his Mobile to work, keeping the battery charged, etc.
3. All of those Groups (family, CAP, unknown, etc.) can be changed on the fly in about 1 minute using any web browser. I could show up to the ICP, see that we'll be there for a while, then go in and set it so that only known CAP calls and Family calls ring through to my Mobile, or to a land-line at the ICP, then record a custom VoiceMail Greeting (either through a phone OR through my laptop with microphone...handy that) to let any Unknown Callers who don't match any of my predefined groups know why I am out of touch, and that if they are calling about CAP business to leave a VoiceMail and I'll get back to them.
4. Oh yeah, for each Group of known numbers, you can record a separate VoiceMail Greeting. Plus one for all the Unknown Callers so they get a more generic VoiceMail Greeting. This can be really handy if you can't answer when Family calls, their Greeting (and no one else's) can say that you'll be there through the night and not to hold dinner.
5. As long as you don't make International calls, the service is currently free. This means, once it is out of Beta and fully available, we can set it up for CAP Alert Roster personnel for no charge.
6. Google is supposed to be working on Number Portability, which would mean that instead of getting a brand new number for Google Voice, you can Port your existing phone number to Google. This is the same way that you can take your phone number with you now when changing Mobile Carriers.
And I fully expect Google to add even more features over time.
FYI, the basic Multi-Point Ring, First Answer functionality alone is something that was very expensive and troublesome before GV came along. I've worked in telecom and IT for 15 years, and getting that function working was always a chore. Just getting that for free is marvelous.
Thom Hamilton
I've been a GV beta tester since it was "Grand Central," (and, well, you know, I've been a Gmail beta tester for WAY longer..<GRIN>) and I'm a little bummed at some of the functionality that "fell out" when they made it Google Voice. (IIRC, there was more call filtering/screening/routing options under GC.. And I lost my British ringing sound...:( )
Also, they don't have 100% coverage of all area codes. In my home state, GV has NO coverage anymore (Grand Central lost the number provider they had here just before the Google acquisition) so I'm forced to use a number in the adjacent state. Its a minor inconvenience, but I don't mind it so much. People ask me all the time if I've moved, though.
This would be a HANDY tool for a unit recruiting phone number (you could have it ring several folks, and whomever picks up first gets the call) and VMs transcribed into emails is wicked handy, too!
We're not Gmail beta testers anymore.. a couple weeks ago it came out of beta.. yay! You know it would have been nice of them to pay me for all that free testing I was doing for them while it was in beta.. oh well.
Quote from: MooneyMeyer on July 17, 2009, 03:22:02 PM
We're not Gmail beta testers anymore.. a couple weeks ago it came out of beta.. yay! You know it would have been nice of them to pay me for all that free testing I was doing for them while it was in beta.. oh well.
Oh, hahaha... totally missed that. Nice fanfare, Google!
Quote from: MikeD on July 17, 2009, 06:58:44 AM
Has anyone else been able to try Google Voice yet? It can be set up so someone calls you at one number, and it gets forwarded to multiple numbers at once.
This could be a good way to shorten the alert roster, one call a person instead of trying someones work, home, and cell #.
I agree that this could be a good tool in a "non stressed" communications environment. HOWEVER, I wouldn't put my entire alert plan just using this tool, because the internet can be affected by both natural & man made (e.g. cyber attacks) disasters.
Look at the alternative of CAP VHF & HF radio communications being able to be received by the dispersed members on consumer grade radio scanners an HF receivers.
RM
Quote from: RADIOMAN015 on July 19, 2009, 06:48:01 PM
Quote from: MikeD on July 17, 2009, 06:58:44 AM
Has anyone else been able to try Google Voice yet? It can be set up so someone calls you at one number, and it gets forwarded to multiple numbers at once.
This could be a good way to shorten the alert roster, one call a person instead of trying someones work, home, and cell #.
I agree that this could be a good tool in a "non stressed" communications environment. HOWEVER, I wouldn't put my entire alert plan just using this tool, because the internet can be affected by both natural & man made (e.g. cyber attacks) disasters.
Look at the alternative of CAP VHF & HF radio communications being able to be received by the dispersed members on consumer grade radio scanners an HF receivers.
RM
Speaking from the land of Katrina, Rita, and Gustav, we have always had to have 2 separate Alerting plans. One for the 98% of calls that happen during 'normal' times, and then the 2% that occur after 'Storms.'
It makes little sense to not avail ourselves of the capabilities of something like Google Voice during the normal times, just because it won't be available during the storms. In fact, NOTHING except Radios are in any way reliable after a Storm around here.
Even at that, there simply aren't enough personnel with radios, either CAP or personally-owned, to use that for much. Mostly the alerting falls back to 'go to the CAP building and someone will be there who can direct you to an ICP or Mission Base.' That only needs personnel with transport and partially cleared roads, both of which are also needed to actually carry out any mission tasks.
In short (too late...), I don't think we should overlook the value of this tool, just because it only handles 98% of our problems. The other 2% of our problems are so big, they won't be handled by any affordable or feasible system.
FYI, the Scanner market seems to be dying off, also. This is being hastened by both the Internet (surprise...) and the increasing amount of communications that are Trunked, Digital, and/or Encrypted. If there isn't anything in the clear to listen to, then no one will be buying Scanners. I've seen several discussions around this issue on various forums.
Thom Hamilton
Quote from: Thom on July 19, 2009, 10:12:15 PMFYI, the Scanner market seems to be dying off, also. This is being hastened by both the Internet (surprise...) and the increasing amount of communications that are Trunked, Digital, and/or Encrypted. If there isn't anything in the clear to listen to, then no one will be buying Scanners. I've seen several discussions around this issue on various forums.
I noticed an article or statistic recently about the number of ham operators that has dropped off dramatically. Then I saw the other day a Grundig "40th Anniversary Apollo 11" shortwave receiver available exclusively from Radio Shack and thought "Geez, can you still get the Beeb via shortwave?" :)
Clearly, the Internet has cut into the "talking to people around the globe from your desk" vibe that used to only be available via ham radio. It darn near seems that only the fringe hams are left: the DXCC guys, the QRP whackos, etc. (*speaking as a field day/VHF ham...<GRIN>*)