Gadgetell | Tech News, Reviews, and Interesting Things

Google Voice is beginning to open up a little more each day.  Of course, at this time, you still need an invitation.  But that aside, for this purpose of this post we are going to assume that you are lucky enough to have been invited.  Given that, aside from people still wanting an invitation, the biggest complaint I am seeing is that Google Voice is limited to those in the US.

When attempting to set up Google Voice from a location outside the US, users are greeted with a message that (in part) reads;

“Google Voice is not available in your country.”

Which does not help those that are outside the US, because while many prefer to have a local number, there are some benefits to having a US based number—even when you are outside the US.  Well, let me tell you a little secret.  Despite the service not officially being available, it is possible to set up your Google Voice account outside the US, that is as long as you do not mind a little trickery.

In pretty much one simple step, here is what you need to do;

• Find a Proxy site that is located on US servers, and while we cannot give you an exact Proxy to use, you may want to click this link, or this link and begin a quick search.
• After you have found your US-based Proxy site, all you need to do is then begin the regular Google Voice setup process.

Of course, if you have a trusted friend in the US, you could also ask nicely and have them do the setup for you.

Now for the fine print, if you choose to go this route only to have Google shut your Voice account down, I, along with Gadgetell, take no responsibility.  Additionally, I, along with Gadgetell take no responsibility for any calls that may not be properly routed should you try and forward your Google Voice number to a non-US number.  That said, if you do go this route, make sure you enjoy your Google Voice setup.