Google is getting closer and closer to launching its new service, Google Voice, as it already started sending invitations to users who signed up on a waiting list for the Net-augmented telephone service. The service hasn't yet been released publicly, but it seems that it shouldn't be too long before the company decides that it is high time to do so.

Google Voice, as many of you might already know, is based on a technology from GrandCentral, a startup purchased by Google back in 2007. The service is set to offer users a new phone number meant to simplify the connectivity among people. When the Google Voice number is called, the phones from the user's home, work, or pocket ring at the same time.

Furthermore, it seems that users will also be able to set the service so as the phones would ring in a certain way when specific numbers call, and can also set some calls to head directly to the voice mail. Moreover, Google transforms the voice mails into text and sends them to the user in the form of emails, while also offering the possibility to listen to the message.

“We are happy to share that Google Voice is beginning to open up beyond former GrandCentral users. If you requested an invitation on the Google Voice site or previously on GrandCentral, keep your eye out for an invite e-mail,” Google says in a blog post. “Once you receive your invitation, just click on the link and follow the instructions to setup your new Voice account. To help you find a Google number that is personalized to you, we've added a number picker that lets you search by area code and text. See if you can find a number that contains your name, a specific word or a number combination,” the post continues.

For what it's worth, it seems that it shouldn't be too long before the service goes live, and it was about time for this to happen, as Google announced back in March that the service would become available in a few weeks, and a few months have already passed. Those of you who would like to sign up for a Google Voice invite should hit this link. More details on Google Voice can be found in the video below. Stay tuned for updates on this.