Google begins limited testing of number portability in Google Voice

We first heard rumblings of number portability coming to Google Voice a few months back when Google began asking if users would like to see it become a feature, and now we are seeing some evidence that it is being added.

According to a report on TechCrunch, Google Voice has begun to allow users, albeit a “very small number” of users to port their existing number to Google. It seems that Google is just testing the feature at this time and plan to roll it out as a feature to all sometime “later this year.”

Sounds great, I have a mobile number that I have had for years, it is even off contract on a month-by-month schedule that I would love to keep and transfer over to Google for my Voice account. Of course, it does not matter how many features we are seeing added because most people still are not able to sign up to even use the service. Personally, I would rather see Google Voice open up to the public, or at the very least begin to allow a few more users in for testing.

Additionally, it looks like Google is also planning on launching “apps for the major smartphone platforms.” However there was not any mention of specifics on this one. That said, it is only likely that we will see one for the iPhone, Android, BlackBerry and possibly webOS.

Read [TechCrunch]