TechCrunch has the story. This is similar to what MSFT has done in Live Local. Here’s the Official Google Blog on the move:
We’re offering the ‘call’ link as a free service to all businesses. These aren’t ads and don’t influence the ranking of businesses in the search results. We foot the bill for calls (local and long distance), but airtime fees or other mobile fees will still apply if you use a mobile phone number. Currently, the calling feature works if you live in the U.S. and are looking for a business located in the U.S.
One has to believe that this is further testing as a prelude to a PPCall ad program (at some point), which Google has previously suggested though its deal with Skype/eBay.
November 17, 2006 at 5:50 pm
I understand the technology for this is provided by VoIP, Inc. the same company who has been providing Google’s Click to Call service since December 2005. This company also provided the technology behind a promotional campaign for the new season of “America’s Next Top Model” on the CW Network which allowed allows fans to send and receive personalized phone messages from Trya Banks, the show’s star. The company also worked on the successful “Snakes on a Plane” phone campaign that featured the voice of Samuel L. Jackson.
And, in October, VoIP, Inc. began powering what could be the largest Click to Call promotional campaigns ever developed, for the NFL Network.
It’s all on their website, http://www.voipinc.com. Check out TMC’s Rich Tehrani’s blog about this too: http://news.tmcnet.com/news/2006/11/17/2088204.htm
November 19, 2006 at 1:50 pm
Voicestar has provided this service to many publishers and agencies for over a year. They do click to talk in addition to assigning true telephone numbers
November 20, 2006 at 7:57 pm
It i s my understanding that VOIP,inc. own the patents to click to call as per their merger with AQN. Below is the US patent number.
http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?u=%2Fnetahtml%2Fsrchnum.htm&Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&r=1&l=50&f=G&d=PALL&s1=6501837.PN.&OS=PN/6501837&RS=PN/6501837
If this is the case Voip,inc own the click to call market
Warm personal regards,
David L. Ebershoff
November 21, 2006 at 7:27 pm
Where did it go? http://www.pinkprankradio.com/?p=92