BEIJING, July 4 (Xinhuanet) -- The search giant Google Inc. has acquired Web-based phone service GrandCentral Communications, Google confirmed Tuesday.

    The company, which originally reported the acquisition Monday on Google's official blog, did not disclose a purchase price.

    "We think GrandCentral's technology fits well into Google's efforts to provide services that enhance the collaborative exchange of information between our users," Google product manager Wesley Chan said in a posting on the company's blog.

    Fremont, California based GrandCentral's services let users personalize phone usage with Web-based features like the ability to assign a single phone number that rings various phones at once, records calls and accesses visual voicemail.

    "If you have multiple phone numbers, you get one phone number that you can set to ring all, some, or none of your phones, based on who's calling," Chan said 

    "This way, your phone number is tied to you, and not your location or job," he said.

    Over on GrandCentral's Web site, the company affirmed Google's acquisition and wrote that the search company will keep beta testing GrandCentral's service.

    "GrandCentral will remain operational, as will the site, while we integrate with Google. Google will continue to support uninterrupted service for all current GrandCentral customers," the company wrote.

    The company began beta testing in September 2006. It was founded by Craig Walker and Vincent Paquet, formerly the chief executive and vice president of business development and marketing, respectively, for VoIP company Dialpad Communications Inc. Google competitor Yahoo Inc. bought Dialpad in June 2005 for an undisclosed amount.

    Google spokesman Jon Murchinson confirmed in an e-mail Tuesday that Google will support current beta users, who are accessing GrandCentral for free, and wrote that Google hasn't yet determined a post-beta pricing plan for GrandCentral's services.

    "We will send out a limited number of invitations during the beta period but will open the service to the public in the near future," he wrote.

(Agencies)