Updated 11.9.14 In 2010, Google launched a new feature in Gmail, namely the ability to make calls from your computer, using Gmail, to landline and mobile phone numbers .
The phone call from Gmail, until yesterday only active in the USA and Canada, is also active in other countries, including Italy .
Using therefore the speakers or earphones connected to the PC and a microphone, it is possible to call from Gmail to any Italian or other landline or mobile phone number .
The calls are not free but the Italian rates are certainly advantageous, lower than some mobile tariff plans, lower than on Skype.
Opening Gmail, where there is a chat at the bottom left, a green icon with the symbol of the telephone handset and the words " call tel. " Should appear today or in the next few days.
By clicking on the handset, after accepting the notice, you can click and the telephone keypad opens where you can dial a landline or mobile phone number from Italy or other countries around the world.
Calls from Gmail are possible thanks to the integration with the Google Hangouts app to make calls from PC, Android and iOS at very low prices .
To use the phone call from Gmail, users registered in Google Apps need the domain administrator to activate the Google Voice and Google Checkout services in the control panel.
The call is not free and you must first purchase credit.
Specifically, the rates for calling an Italian number from Gmail are:
- If you call a landline number € 0.01 per minute ;
- If you call a mobile phone the rate is € 0.04 per minute.
All rates for calling various fixed or mobile numbers from all over the world can be found on the Google Voice rates page in Euros.
A note specifies that the rates do not include VAT and that they can change at any time.
There is no connection charge for mobile or landline calls.
Buying credit to call from your computer with Gmail and Google Voice is very simple and you just need to register a credit card in Google Wallet, a service very similar to Paypal designed for online purchases of paid Google services.
You can use any credit or debit card such as PostePay.
To top up you can press the Add credit button.
The service does not require any commission for recharging or connecting, you only pay if you speak for the conversation time .
To see the phone book of contacts, thresholds, available credit, spent credit and call history you can access the Google Voice page also accessible from the phone window in Gmail.
The phone call from Gmail is not yet the real Google Voice, the VOIP telephony service similar to Skype, still active only in the USA, which provides a completely new phone number with voicemail and SMS service that can also be used to make cell phone calls with the relative application .
To use the call from Gmail you need to install the Google video chat plugin available for Windows, Mac and Linux on your computer.
