Recently in web-based service Category

Google Voice now will work with existing phone numbers. You can now can get Google Voice with a Google number OR with your existing mobile phone number. If you choose to use Google Voice with your existing number, you won't get some features (like call screening and recording), but you'll still get many others -- including Google voicemail).

Google Voice with your existing number, you'll get:

• Online, searchable voicemail.
• Free automated voicemail transcription.
• Custom voicemail greetings for different callers.
• Email and SMS notifications.
• Low-priced international calling.

If you decide to also get a new Google number, you'll get all of the above PLUS:

• One number that reaches you on all your phones.
• SMS via email.
• Call screening.
• Listen In
• Call recording.
• Conference calling.
• Call blocking.

If you already have a Google number, this new feature should also help with the transition to your new number, as you can now forward unanswered calls to your mobile phone to your Google Voice account.  This way, people who still call your old number will reach the same voicemail as people who call your Google Voice number.

Do you want to know why AT&T is fighting Google Voice?  Well if you list Google Voice as one of your myFaves, friends/family 3Pick or A-list, you can get unlimited cell calls from Google Voice.

Hugh?

Someone at LifeHacker  figured out how to do it.

First in Google Voice's Call Settings page set the Caller ID is set to Display my Google Voice number. Then list your Google Voice number as a friends/family, myfavs 3Pick or A-List number.

Warning the Life Hacker tipster warned:

Incoming calls are judged not on the number connecting, but what your caller ID says. This means if you have Google Voice set to display contacts on your phone's caller ID (and not your Google Voic number, as shown in the picture), your minutes will be used.

It depends on carrier  and what feature:
Verizon - Friends and Family
AT&T - A-List
T-Mobile -myFaves
Sprint - Pick3.

LifeHacker reports that they have not been able to test the hack on all networks and have noted that it doesn't always work.  Maybe AT&T will block calls to Google Voice, like Google blocks calls to rural nuns.

AT&T doesn't like Google Voice invading its service territory.  They have sent a letter to the FCC further propounding the dangers of blocking calls to rural areas. 

"In fact, Google is blocking calls to, among others, an ambulance service, church, bank, law firm, automobile dealer, day spa, orchard, health clinic, tax preparation service, community center, eye doctor, tribal community college, school, residential consumers, a convent of Benedictine nuns, and the campaign office of a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives".

The letter also claims "Rather, Google Voice uses telecommunications (supplied by its
wholesale partner Bandwidth.com) to transmit voice calls between end users and it thus
unquestionably constitutes "interstate and foreign communications by wire or radio" under the
Communications Act, placing it squarely within the Commission's jurisdiction."

In other words, the Google Voice battle continues and AT&T is "Mad as hell and is not going to take it any more." You can read the entire letter here.

Google's attorney Richard Whitt, on Friday reported in a blog that  the reason Google  blocks calls to those local phone carriers' numbers due to "exorbitant termination rates" for calls and that there is a  connection to adult sex chat lines and "free" conference calling centers.

Some users of the free Google Voice service noticed that their phone calls would cut off every fifteen minutes or so.  So they called the person back. 

Tech Crunch noted that people expect perfection in voice calls even though the FREE service is currently in beta. He notes that iPhone users however are used to dropped calls...

The Google Voice support page replies indicate the problem has been fixed. We have noticed that a Google Voice number has been busy when we knew for sure that no one was using the service at the time.

Mobile Complete launched a new interactive Web program dubbed “TryPhone,” which contains fully-functional, virtual phones designed specifically for mobile consumers. TryPhone allows users to test-drive mobile devices online before purchasing. Consumers can access the site, by going to www.tryphone.com.

This launch marks the initial phase of the TryPhone service, featuring the Blackberry Pearl, Samsung Juke, LG Muziq and the Apple iPhone for. Phones will be continuously added to the portfolio on a weekly basis.