Google has reserved 1 million phone numbers from global backbone provider Level 3, indicating a commercial launch of its Google Voice service may be imminent.
The service, previously branded GrandCentral, was announced in March. It offers free calls within the US, and international calls for as little as 2c per minute.
The service is currently only available for existing GrandCentral subscribers, but a public launch could now be imminent, Network World said. Yet it is unclear when the 1 million numbers will be assigned.
Google acquired GrandCentral in 2007, but promptly closed the service to new customers.
Google Voice will allow users to have one number for both landlines and mobiles. Other features include automatic voicemail transcription, call transfer and teleconferencing.
Google also will roll out mobile number portability later this year, TechCrunch revealed two weeks ago.