Google enters net telephony with free India-US, Canada calls on Gmail till end-2010

Some Gmail users today found to their pleasant surprise, a ''Call Phone'' option at the top of their Google Talk chat window when they logged on to their Gmail accounts.

On clicking it and accepting the terms and conditions, they were presented with a num-pad on their monitor like the one found on VoIP services like Skype.

Yes, it seems Google is now in the process of launching a telephony service and what is more, the search giant is offering free unlimited calls to Canada and the US till the end of 2010.

Many of those who immediately hit their phone-book and called up their friends and others in the US and Canada report that the call went through almost immediately, the quality was absolutely clear from both ends and there were no disconnections during the calls some of which stretched over half an hour.

Calls to other countries can be made after purchasing pre-paid credits on Google voice website, but users say once the free period is over, the service would work out to around three times the cost they would have to pay using Skype for calls to US and Canada.

However, there are reports that they option did not show up the next time they logged into their account. They say it may be assumed that the roll out would be gradual and users would get it back.

They advice users to check up their Gtalk window in their Gamail to see whether they get the ''Call Phone'' option right under status change drop-down menu.

They say even if users get the option before the end of the month, there would still be a whole month to make calls to US and Canada absolutely free.