I’m trying to figure out the technical setup behind Gmail’s free calling feature for US and Canadian numbers. I’m curious about whether they use distributed phone systems throughout different regions or if they have some kind of special deal with phone companies. Are they running their own telephone infrastructure or partnering with existing providers? I want to build something similar for my project and I’m wondering how they manage to make calls to regular phone numbers without charging users. What kind of backend system would make this possible?
yeah, i think google voice is what allows those free calls. they partner with phone companies instead of having their own stuff. it’s all about keeping the costs low using the internet. the ads probably help pay for it too!
Google employs VoIP technology along with PSTN gateways to facilitate free calls. This involves transforming your voice into data packets that traverse the internet until they reach a gateway linking to standard telephone networks. This model is viable for them because advertising revenue and data monetization effectively offset the minimal per-minute costs. They collaborate with various carriers and utilize least-cost routing to minimize expenses. For a similar project, consider partnering with SIP providers like Twilio for wholesale rates, but be aware that you’ll require substantial scale or alternative revenue sources to cope with the carrier termination fees associated with traditional phone networks.
I’ve done telecom integrations before - you’re missing the scale factor. Google doesn’t use standard VoIP providers like everyone else. They run their own global network backbone with direct peering agreements to major carriers, so their interconnection costs are dirt cheap. Free calling works because they negotiate termination rates that smaller operators can’t touch. Their system automatically routes calls through whatever path costs least. For your project, you’ll probably need wholesale SIP trunking providers, but truly free calling needs massive scale or you’ve got to subsidize it with other revenue. The tech part’s easy - it’s the economics that’ll kill you.
Yeah, the tech behind it is all about using VoIP over the internet. What helped me understand it better was trying out a cloud auto dialer setup—same kind of tech where calls go through the internet instead of phone lines. It’s basically using data, not minutes, so that’s how they keep it free in certain areas like the US and Canada.