Google Voice
Google Voice is a unique telephony solution built on the cloud where you can make and receive calls using a work number on any device, anywhere. Allowing end users to focus on what's important while staying connected on deskphones, smartphones, and the web.
Features
- PSTN call forwarding to a linked device
- Google Calendar integration
- Google Meet integration
- eDiscovery (Google Vault) integration
- Usage and activity reporting
- Voicemail transcription
- Number assignment, porting, and billing in Google Workspace console
- Enterprise-level telephony features auto attendants and hunt groups
- 24/7 Google Voice support
- Related services provided Levett Consultancy Google Cloud Partner
Benefits
- Integration with Google Workspace
- Make and receive phone calls on any device, anywhere
- Simple, centralised control for admins
- Phone numbers mapped on top of an existing PSTN
- Can be used as a stand-alone VoIP service
- Same work phone number accessed on multiple devices
- SIP desk phone support
- Deployed instantly
- Centralised billing
Pricing
£8 to £19 a user a month
- Education pricing available
- Free trial available
Service documents
Request an accessible format
Framework
G-Cloud 14
Service ID
7 7 0 2 9 0 6 5 4 3 4 1 0 1 0
Contact
Levett Consultancy Ltd
Stepehen Hazle
Telephone: 01279 799256
Email: gcloud@levettconsultancy.co.uk
Service scope
- Software add-on or extension
- Yes
- What software services is the service an extension to
- Google Voice is an additional service that is compatible with all Google Workspace editions.
- Cloud deployment model
-
- Public cloud
- Hybrid cloud
- Service constraints
- Google Voice currently only works with a limited amount of desk phone models. Contact Levett Consultancy for the latest supported desk phone model list.
- System requirements
-
- Firewall and proxy setting configured to support Google Voice
- A modern web browser is required for soft phone use
User support
- Email or online ticketing support
- Yes, at extra cost
- Support response times
- Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm responses within 7 hours SLA. No service is available Saturday and Sundays or UK public holidays.
- User can manage status and priority of support tickets
- Yes
- Online ticketing support accessibility
- WCAG 2.1 AA or EN 301 549
- Phone support
- Yes
- Phone support availability
- 9 to 5 (UK time), Monday to Friday
- Web chat support
- No
- Onsite support
- Yes, at extra cost
- Support levels
- In addition to standard Google support, Levett Consultancy provides enterprise level support as part of our G Cloud Cloud support service. Support is delivered using our internal ITIL Service desk based within the UK. All Levett Consultancy staff are all certified by Google to provide a range of customer support services from dedicated account management to providing enterprise technical support using in house certified Google support engineers with enhanced DBS.
- Support available to third parties
- Yes
Onboarding and offboarding
- Getting started
-
Levett Consultancy as a long-term Google Partner with a proven track record of onboarding Central & Local Government, Education, 3rd Sector and Private sector with Google Voice.
If required Levett Consultancy at an additional cost, provides a fully comprehensive consultancy, deployment, training and support service that is detailed within our optional G Cloud Cloud Support and deployment services. - Service documentation
- Yes
- Documentation formats
-
- HTML
- End-of-contract data extraction
- Google Voice data is held within Google workspace. To extract data the individual end users will need to use the 'Download your data' option within Google Workspace. More information can be found here: https://support.google.com/a/answer/100458
- End-of-contract process
- To stop using Google Voice at your organisation, cancel your Voice subscription within Google workspace. If you’re billed on a monthly Flex plan, cancelling your subscription immediately stops further billing for Voice services and delete all data and licenses. Further information can be found here: https://support.google.com/a/answer/9233706
Using the service
- Web browser interface
- Yes
- Supported browsers
-
- Microsoft Edge
- Firefox
- Chrome
- Safari
- Opera
- Application to install
- No
- Designed for use on mobile devices
- Yes
- Differences between the mobile and desktop service
- Custom mobile applications are available both for iOS and Android which provide a bespoke user experience tailored to the operating system in question. For other mobile operating systems, web browser support is included which provides an equivalent experience to the desktop environment.
- Service interface
- Yes
- User support accessibility
- None or don’t know
- Description of service interface
- Google Voice is accessed within the Google Workspace Admin Console using a modern web browser from any device.
- Accessibility standards
- WCAG 2.1 AA or EN 301 549
- Accessibility testing
- Google makes accessibility a core consideration from the earliest stages of product design through release. A central accessibility team has a mandate to monitor the state of accessibility of all Google products and coordinate accessibility training, testing, and consulting. Further details can be found here: https://support.google.com/a/answer/2821355
- API
- Yes
- What users can and can't do using the API
- The scope of capabilities exposed via API to Google workspace users is very broad and encompasses most major use cases. Google workspace APIs are grouped into ten main APIs and SDKs
- API documentation
- Yes
- API documentation formats
-
- HTML
- API sandbox or test environment
- Yes
- Customisation available
- No
Scaling
- Independence of resources
- Google’s services are designed for millions of users. Google runs multiple different performance tests, including load testing Google workspace applications under high load over a long period, to observe effects on factors, such as memory use and response time. Google also performs stress testing to examine system performance in unusual situations, including system functional testing while under unusually heavy loads, heavy repetition of certain actions or inputs, or input of large numerical values and large, complex queries to a database system. Ensuring the addition of any practicable number of users has a very low impact on using Google workspace services.
Analytics
- Service usage metrics
- Yes
- Metrics types
- Google Voice audit log tracks the Voice activity in your organisation. For example, you can review the details of texts and calls, including the cost and duration.
- Reporting types
-
- Real-time dashboards
- Regular reports
Resellers
- Supplier type
- Reseller providing extra support
- Organisation whose services are being resold
Staff security
- Staff security clearance
- Other security clearance
- Government security clearance
- Up to Security Clearance (SC)
Asset protection
- Knowledge of data storage and processing locations
- Yes
- Data storage and processing locations
-
- European Economic Area (EEA)
- Other locations
- User control over data storage and processing locations
- Yes
- Datacentre security standards
- Complies with a recognised standard (for example CSA CCM version 3.0)
- Penetration testing frequency
- At least every 6 months
- Penetration testing approach
- In-house
- Protecting data at rest
-
- Physical access control, complying with CSA CCM v3.0
- Physical access control, complying with SSAE-16 / ISAE 3402
- Physical access control, complying with another standard
- Encryption of all physical media
- Scale, obfuscating techniques, or data storage sharding
- Other
- Other data at rest protection approach
- Data belonging to Google Workspace customers is stored at rest in two types of systems: disks and backup media. Disks are used to write new data as well as store and retrieve data in multiple replicated copies. Data stored at rest is encrypted using 128-bit or stronger Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) on both disks and backup media. Google encrypts data with distinct encryption keys, even if they belong to the same customer. This encryption happens without the customer having to take any action.
- Data sanitisation process
- Yes
- Data sanitisation type
- Explicit overwriting of storage before reallocation
- Equipment disposal approach
- In-house destruction process
Data importing and exporting
- Data export approach
- You can export and download your data from the Google Voice using the Google Takeout service. In a few easy steps, create an archive to keep for your records or use the data in another service. Details how to export data can be found here: https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/3024190
- Data export formats
-
- CSV
- Other
- Other data export formats
-
- Zip
- Tgz
- Data import formats
- CSV
Data-in-transit protection
- Data protection between buyer and supplier networks
- TLS (version 1.2 or above)
- Data protection within supplier network
- TLS (version 1.2 or above)
Availability and resilience
- Guaranteed availability
- Contractually Google's Service Level is guaranteed to 99.9% availability for any calendar month and backed with service credits. Definitions and service credits are described at https://gsuite.google.com/intl/en-GB/terms/sla.html
- Approach to resilience
- To minimize service interruption due to hardware failures, natural disasters or other incidents, Google has built a highly redundant infrastructure of data centres. Google workspace has an RPO (Recovery Point Objective) target of zero, and our RTO (Recovery Time Objective) target is instant failover (or zero).
- Outage reporting
-
Google provides access to a Google workspace dashboard offering performance information for Google workspace services here: https://www.google.com/appsstatus#hl=en-GB
Outages and status updates are also reported to Google workspace administrator by email.
Identity and authentication
- User authentication needed
- Yes
- User authentication
-
- 2-factor authentication
- Identity federation with existing provider (for example Google Apps)
- Username or password
- Access restrictions in management interfaces and support channels
- Depending on administrator preference, users can be signed in via a federated identity service, including Active Directory, LDAP, DaaS or use Google workspace as their identity provider. 2 Factor authentication is supported and can be enforced. Administrative access privileges are granted separately to individual users or groups.
- Access restriction testing frequency
- At least every 6 months
- Management access authentication
-
- 2-factor authentication
- Public key authentication (including by TLS client certificate)
- Identity federation with existing provider (for example Google Apps)
- Username or password
Audit information for users
- Access to user activity audit information
- Users have access to real-time audit information
- How long user audit data is stored for
- Between 1 month and 6 months
- Access to supplier activity audit information
- Users receive audit information on a regular basis
- How long supplier audit data is stored for
- Between 1 month and 6 months
- How long system logs are stored for
- Between 1 month and 6 months
Standards and certifications
- ISO/IEC 27001 certification
- Yes
- Who accredited the ISO/IEC 27001
- EY CertifyPoint
- ISO/IEC 27001 accreditation date
- 23/05/2022
- What the ISO/IEC 27001 doesn’t cover
- Any service not listed on the ISO certificate is not covered. See here for more information: Any service not listed on the ISO certificate is not covered. See here for more information: https://cloud.google.com/security/compliance/compliance-reports-manager#/ReportType=Certificate
- ISO 28000:2007 certification
- No
- CSA STAR certification
- Yes
- CSA STAR accreditation date
- 25/08/2023
- CSA STAR certification level
- Level 1: CSA STAR Self-Assessment
- What the CSA STAR doesn’t cover
- Any service not listed on the CSA STAR certificate is not covered. More information can be found here: https://cloud.google.com/security/compliance/compliance-reports-manager
- PCI certification
- Yes
- Who accredited the PCI DSS certification
- Coalfire Systems Inc
- PCI DSS accreditation date
- 12/01/2023
- What the PCI DSS doesn’t cover
- Any service not listed on the PCI DSS certification can be found here: https://cloud.google.com/security/compliance/compliance-reports-manager/
- Cyber essentials
- Yes
- Cyber essentials plus
- Yes
- Other security certifications
- Yes
- Any other security certifications
-
- ISO 22301:2019
- ISO/IEC 27018:2019
- ISO/IEC 27701:2019
- SOC 1
- SOC 2
- SOC 3
Security governance
- Named board-level person responsible for service security
- Yes
- Security governance certified
- Yes
- Security governance standards
-
- CSA CCM version 3.0
- ISO/IEC 27001
- Other
- Other security governance standards
- ISO 9001:2015; ISO 22301:2019; BS EN ISO 22301:2019; ISO 50001:2018; ISO/IEC 27110; SOC1; SOC2; SOC3; ISO/IEC 27701;ISO/IEC 27018; ISO/IEC 27017; ISO/IEC 27001; EU GDPR, UK GDPR; NCSC - Cyber Essentials Plus (UK); NCSC - Cloud Security (UK); NHS (UK); PCI DSS; PRA (UK); UK CHECK
- Information security policies and processes
- Google customers and regulators expect independent verification of security, privacy, and compliance controls. Google undergoes several independent third-party audits on a regular basis to provide this assurance. Some of the key international standards we are audited against are:ISO/IEC 27001 (Information Security Management); ISO/IEC 27017 (Cloud Security); ISO/IEC 27018 (Cloud Privacy); ISO/IEC 27701 (Privacy); SOC1; SOC 2 and SOC 3 reports. Google also participates in sector and country-specific frameworks, such as FedRAMP (US government), BSI C5:2020 (Germany), MTCS (Singapore), NCSC - Cyber Essentials Plus (UK), NCSC - Cloud Security (UK) and many others. Google also provides resource documents and mappings for certain frameworks where formal certifications or attestations may not be required or applied. Further details can found here: https://cloud.google.com/security/compliance/
Operational security
- Configuration and change management standard
- Conforms to a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v3.0 or SSAE-16 / ISAE 3402
- Configuration and change management approach
- In Google production environments, software updates are manually vetted to ensure the stability of the system. Changes are then tested and cautiously rolled out to systems. The details vary somewhat depending on the service being considered, but all development work is separated from the operation systems, testing occurs in a multi-staged fashion in both environments and in dedicated test settings. Google can share, under NDA, the SOC2 audit report (based on standards from the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board), which describes the change management process. Additionally, changes to code go through a process of code review involving additional engineer(s)
- Vulnerability management type
- Conforms to a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v3.0 or SSAE-16 / ISAE 3402
- Vulnerability management approach
- Google administrates a vulnerability management process that actively scans for security threats using a combination of commercially available and purpose-built tools, intensive automated/manual penetration efforts, quality assurance processes, software security reviews and external audits. The vulnerability management team is responsible for tracking and following up on vulnerabilities. Once a vulnerability requiring remediation has been identified, it is logged, prioritized according to severity, and assigned an owner. The vulnerability management team tracks such issues and follows up frequently until they can verify that the issues have been remediated. Google also maintains relationships and interfaces with members of the security research community.
- Protective monitoring type
- Conforms to a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v3.0 or SSAE-16 / ISAE 3402
- Protective monitoring approach
- Focused on information gathered from network traffic, employee actions on systems and outside knowledge of vulnerabilities. Traffic is inspected at many points for suspicious behaviour. Analysis is performed using open-source and commercial tools for traffic capture and parsing, supported by a correlation system built on top of Google technology. Analysis is supplemented by examining system logs for unusual behaviour, such as attempted access of customer data. Security engineers place standing alerts on public data repositories to look for security incidents that might affect company infrastructure. They actively review inbound security reports and monitor public mailing lists, blog posts, and wikis.
- Incident management type
- Conforms to a recognised standard, for example, CSA CCM v3.0 or ISO/IEC 27035:2011 or SSAE-16 / ISAE 3402
- Incident management approach
- If an incident occurs, the security team logs and prioritises it according to severity. Events directly impacting customers are assigned the highest priority. This process specifies courses of action, procedures for notification, escalation, mitigation, and documentation. Google’s incident management program is structured around NIST guidance on handling incidents. Key staff are trained in forensics and handling evidence in preparation for an event, including the use of third-party and proprietary tools. Testing of incident response plans is performed for key areas, such as systems that store sensitive customer information. Tests consider a variety of scenarios, including insider threats and software vulnerabilities.
Secure development
- Approach to secure software development best practice
- Supplier-defined process
Public sector networks
- Connection to public sector networks
- No
Social Value
- Social Value
-
Social Value
- Fighting climate change
- Covid-19 recovery
- Tackling economic inequality
- Equal opportunity
- Wellbeing
Fighting climate change
Google recognises climate change as a serious threat and integrates environmental responsibility into its social values. Here's a breakdown of their approach:
Focus on Sustainability: Google strives for carbon neutrality across operations (including data centres) through renewable energy investments and operational efficiency.
Innovation for Solutions: They leverage their technological expertise to develop tools and resources that combat climate change. This might involve projects for renewable energy integration on power grids or using AI for climate modelling.
Transparency and Advocacy: Google publicly shares its environmental footprint and advocates for climate-conscious policies. They aim to raise awareness and encourage collaboration towards a sustainable future.
Employee Engagement: Google fosters a culture of environmental awareness among its workforce, encouraging eco-friendly practices and supporting employee participation in climate action initiatives.
By prioritising these values, Google seeks to be a leader in the fight against climate change, minimising its environmental impact and empowering others to do the same.Covid-19 recovery
Google's social values around Covid-19 recovery focus on supporting individuals, communities, and businesses as they navigate the ongoing effects of the pandemic. Here's a breakdown of their key areas:
Supporting Vulnerable Populations: Google prioritises initiatives that aid those disproportionately impacted by Covid-19. This might involve programs for mental health support, remote learning access for underserved communities, or assisting businesses owned by marginalised groups.
Promoting Economic Recovery: They recognize the economic hardships caused by the pandemic. Google aims to create job opportunities and training programs, particularly for those who lost work due to Covid-19. Additionally, they might offer support to small businesses struggling to adapt to the post-pandemic landscape.
Facilitating Remote Work and Education: Google's tools and technologies can be instrumental in a Covid-safe world. They promote the use of their platforms for remote work and learning, ensuring education and business continuity even amidst social distancing measures.
Combating Misinformation: With the influx of online information surrounding Covid-19, Google strives to promote reliable sources and combat the spread of misinformation. This helps individuals make informed decisions about their health and safety.
Supporting Public Health Efforts: Google collaborates with public health organisations by providing data and technological resources to track the spread of the virus and develop effective recovery strategies.
By focusing on these areas, Google strives to be a responsible corporate citizen, aiding communities and individuals in building a more resilient and equitable post-Covid world.Tackling economic inequality
Google tackles economic inequality through multifaceted social values focused on education, entrepreneurship, and workforce development. Here's how:
Digital Skills Training: Google recognizes the power of digital skills to unlock economic opportunities. Their initiatives like Google Grow and Digital Garage offer free training programs in areas like coding, data analysis, and digital marketing – especially targeting underserved populations. This equips people with skills in high-demand fields, opening doors to better-paying jobs.
Supporting Small Businesses: Google understands that small businesses are the backbone of the economy. It provides tools, training, and resources to help them establish an online presence, reach customers, and thrive in the digital marketplace. This helps level the playing field and reduce the gap experienced by smaller businesses compared to larger corporations.
Investing in Underserved Communities: Google directs significant resources towards initiatives that stimulate economic growth within disadvantaged communities. This includes funding for affordable housing, supporting minority-owned businesses, and expanding access to educational resources.
Promoting Inclusive Hiring Practices: Google actively works to foster diversity and inclusion within its own workforce and encourages similar practices throughout the tech industry. They champion fair hiring practices and provide resources to help companies reduce bias and create an environment where everyone has the opportunity to succeed.
Advocating for Policy Change: Google understands the role of public policy in addressing economic inequality. It advocates for policies that expand access to education, support workforce development, and promote fair wages for workers.
These efforts demonstrate Google's commitment to combating economic inequality and promoting a more inclusive economy where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.Equal opportunity
Google places strong emphasis on equal opportunity within its social values framework. Here's how they approach it:
Diverse and Inclusive Workforce: Google strives to create a workforce that reflects the diversity of society. They actively recruit from underrepresented groups, have established internal support networks, and invest in programs to foster an inclusive workplace culture.
Bias Mitigation in Technology: Google is aware of the potential for bias within AI and other technologies. They invest in research and development initiatives aimed at building fairer algorithms, with a focus on preventing discrimination based on race, gender, or other protected characteristics.
Unconscious Bias Training: To combat subtle biases that can hinder equal opportunity, Google provides unconscious bias training to employees. This raises awareness of how biases can influence decisions and actions, even unintentionally.
Fair Pay and Benefits: Google conducts regular pay equity analyses to ensure fair compensation across all employee demographics. Additionally, they offer robust benefits that support working families and employees across all life stages.
Support for External Initiatives: Google partners with organisations focused on promoting equal opportunities in technology and other industries. This might involve supporting programs for underrepresented groups in STEM fields or working to eliminate barriers to career advancement.
Transparency: Google regularly publishes diversity and inclusion reports, sharing data on workforce demographics and progress made towards equality goals. This transparency demonstrates their commitment and holds them accountable for fostering a truly equitable environment.
Google's multi-faceted approach shows its understanding that equal opportunities are essential for both a fair society and a thriving business.Wellbeing
Google incorporates employee wellbeing as a central pillar of its social values, recognizing that a healthy and supported workforce is essential for success. Here's how they approach it:
Work-Life Balance: Google encourages a flexible work culture with options for work-from-home and tailored schedules. This enables employees to maintain a healthy balance between their personal and professional lives.
Mental Health Support: Google provides comprehensive mental health resources, including counselling services, employee assistance programs, and training for managers on supporting mental wellbeing. They prioritise destigmatizing mental health concerns within the workplace.
Generous Benefits: Alongside competitive salaries, Google offers extensive benefits packages that focus on employee wellbeing. These include comprehensive health insurance, parental leave policies, on-site wellness facilities, and subsidies for healthy activities.
Workplace Culture of Support: Google actively works to foster a sense of community and belonging in the workplace. This includes encouraging open communication, celebrating achievements, and providing opportunities for peer support and mentorship.
Focus on Prevention: Google invests in training to promote stress management, mindfulness, and healthy coping mechanisms. This proactive approach helps employees build resilience and maintain wellbeing.
Data-Driven Feedback: Google values employee feedback and uses surveys and other tools to gauge employee wellbeing. This data helps them continuously fine-tune their programs and policies to better address employees' needs.
Google's commitment to wellbeing demonstrates understanding that prioritising employee health and happiness translates to a more engaged, productive, and innovative workforce.
Pricing
- Price
- £8 to £19 a user a month
- Discount for educational organisations
- Yes
- Free trial available
- Yes
- Description of free trial
- A 14-day trial is available for up to 10 users to explore all the features of Google voice, excluding any calls charges. The trial is only available by contacting Levett Consultancy and is not subject to G Cloud terms and conditions.
- Link to free trial
- https://levettconsultancy.co.uk/contact/