Google’s latest phone pitch: Get free voicemail with more features while keeping same number

Google expands availability of free voice mail

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. — Google wants to answer your mobile phone calls when you can’t or just don’t want to talk.

Beginning Tuesday, the Internet search leader is giving people a chance to send calls to a free voice mail service unveiled this year. It’s all part of Google’s bid to become a bigger player in telecommunications.

The voice mail feature is part of Google Voice, a fledging service striving to become a hub for phone calls to people’s mobile, home and office numbers.

Taking advantage of all those tools requires getting a new number from Google Voice, a leap that many people aren’t ready to make. So Google has come up with a way to tie existing mobile phone numbers to its voice mail service.