VOIP Could be Googled

Google is eyeing a whole new VOIP, and it could shake up the world of voice communications forever.

There are several routes that Google could take to enter the VOIP market. With the recent acquisition of multiple fiber optic lines, Google has the option of starting its own VOIP network with a minimum interference from outside companies.

Google could also opt to take a similar route to the one that Apple recently took (when it partnered with Cingular). It could find an existing telephony provider and partner with that company for the new Google VOIP service.

One final option for Google is to simply bypass the whole phone company issue altogether. Some other companies are already taking advantage of the Google Talk (a 1.5 MB instant-messenger that allows for voice, chat, and file transfers), which has an open standard. This makes it possible for users to call IM buddies world wide from mobile phones through Google Talk and only costing the caller the “cheapest local rate.”

The over all future of VOIP could take an interesting twist if Google is able to develop a voice search (similar to any file search) for its Google Talk. This would mean that phone calls through the service would be recorded digitally and stored for future reference.

No matter how Google gets into the VOIP market, it is likely that the move will force the government to see the growing industry as something that must be regulated.