Business VoIP Featured Article

Google Voice Creator Putting a New Spin on Business VoIP

October 06, 2014

By Michael Guta, Contributing Writer

Switch Communications, Inc. is a company run by Craig Walker, the creator of Google Voice, and funded by Google Ventures and Andreessen Horowitz. As a provider of unified communications, collaboration and productivity tools for work, the company is looking to revolutionize how 190 million business phone users in the U.S. use their phones to communicate. The cloud-based VoIP platform the company has deployed is designed for business grade phone systems that will be able to work across all devices and platforms including iOS, Android, Mac, PC, Linux, and even old desktop phones. 


As businesses of all sizes deploy mobile workforce initiatives, the last thing they need is to be out in the field and try to make things work between coworkers, partners, vendors and even customers. The Switch platform is designed to integrate with existing office phones and the mobile devices employees use running on remote computer servers so businesses don't have to deploy on-premises infrastructure.

Craig Walker has brought in former Google employees Brian Peterson, John Rector and Jeanne DeWitt to build their new VoIP service, which will initially be available for Google Apps Business customers. This will add the one thing that has been missing from Google's business tools which includes word processing, spreadsheets, presentation software, file storage and video conferencing.

Although currently the VoIP market is extremely competitive, with more than 100 providers in North America alone, Switch can gain market shares by addressing specific segments in order to establish itself and gain momentum. This includes closely integrating its platform with the business solutions Google currently provides, Google Apps for Work.  According to the company, users will be able to sign up with their existing Google accounts and related information from the suite of office products will be displayed during calls.

Even though Switch will face strong competition from other vendors, the fact that it is being partially backed by Google Ventures and its service runs on Google’s cloud computing platform gives it a head start many other companies wish they had.

“Work, as we know it, is transforming. It's not a place you go; it's an activity you do. People work anywhere and everywhere these days, so why use a phone system that's tied to your desk?” said Walker. “Google Apps has a growing customer base without a phone system to add to their suite of productivity tools. Switch.co integrates seamlessly with Google Apps to complete the package and give people greater flexibility for real-time communication.”

Switch.co is currently available for Google Apps users as a private beta. Pricing for companies of all sizes is $15 per month, per employee, including a free company number and unlimited domestic calls and texts. 




Edited by Alisen Downey

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