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Now expanding to 38 different languages, Gmail's phone call feature has kicked in a slew of cheaper rates to more than 150 countries.
An alternative to Skype, Google's calling feature lets you make free domestic and inexpensive international calls to any mobile phone or landline via Gmail Chat.
Launched almost a year ago, the feature racked up more than 1 million calls its first day and has continued to expand, most recently offering the ability to make multiple calls at the same time.
Now, Gmail calling has expanded again in a move designed to save its users some money.
Starting yesterday, the feature is rolling out in 38 new languages for those who use it outside the United States. As part of the global push, people making international calls will now be able to buy phone credits in U.S. dollars, euros, British pounds, and Canadian dollars, which will pay only for the time you talk.
Even further, Google is trimming its calling rates to a host of countries around the world.
As examples cited in a Google blog yesterday, people will now have to shell out only 10 cents a minute to call mobile phones in the U.K., France, or Germany (calls to landlines will still be 2 cents a minute), 15 cents a minute to call mobile phones in Mexico, and 2 cents a minute to call any number in China or India. As one comparison, calls to India previously cost 6 cents a minute.
Calls to the U.S. or Canada from the countries cited above will be free for the rest of the year. Calls to the U.S. or Canada from outside those countries will cost 1 cent per minute.
The new languages and rates are launching over the next few days, so some countries may not yet have it. To confirm if it's available in your country, Google says you should see a small green phone icon appear at the top of your chat list when you open your Gmail account.
Those of you who've never used Gmail voice calling before can learn more about it from CNET's hands-on review.
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An alternative to Skype, Google's calling feature lets you make free domestic and inexpensive international calls to any mobile phone or landline via Gmail Chat.
Launched almost a year ago, the feature racked up more than 1 million calls its first day and has continued to expand, most recently offering the ability to make multiple calls at the same time.
Now, Gmail calling has expanded again in a move designed to save its users some money.
Starting yesterday, the feature is rolling out in 38 new languages for those who use it outside the United States. As part of the global push, people making international calls will now be able to buy phone credits in U.S. dollars, euros, British pounds, and Canadian dollars, which will pay only for the time you talk.
Even further, Google is trimming its calling rates to a host of countries around the world.
As examples cited in a Google blog yesterday, people will now have to shell out only 10 cents a minute to call mobile phones in the U.K., France, or Germany (calls to landlines will still be 2 cents a minute), 15 cents a minute to call mobile phones in Mexico, and 2 cents a minute to call any number in China or India. As one comparison, calls to India previously cost 6 cents a minute.
Calls to the U.S. or Canada from the countries cited above will be free for the rest of the year. Calls to the U.S. or Canada from outside those countries will cost 1 cent per minute.
The new languages and rates are launching over the next few days, so some countries may not yet have it. To confirm if it's available in your country, Google says you should see a small green phone icon appear at the top of your chat list when you open your Gmail account.
Those of you who've never used Gmail voice calling before can learn more about it from CNET's hands-on review.
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