By Tim Conneally, Betanews

Google Voice, the popular and often controversial VoIP, voicemail, and messaging service from Mountain View search giant Google is now open for anyone in the U.S. to use.

Previously, one could only open a Google Voice account if you received an invitation from a user already participating in the program.

In May, Google opened the program to anybody with a .edu mail account, giving students and educators a chance to try it.

But with already over one million users in the invitation-only version, Google has opened Voice to anyone.

"We're proud of the progress we've made with Google Voice over the last few years, and we're still just scratching the surface of what's possible when you combine your regular phone service with the latest web technology. It's even more amazing to think about how far communication has come over the last couple hundred years," Google said today.

To sign up for Google Voice, click here

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