The new Google Voice service, a service based off GrandCentral, was recently blocked by Apple in an apparent attempt to protect AT&T’s voice services.

Google Voice is currently in a closed beta, allowing a limited number of users to test it, however it is accepting new applications that typically get approved within a week. Its main feature is allowing one single number (the one assigned by Google) to ring all of one’s phones. Outgoing calls can also be placed using the Google Voice phone number. The service is free, thus posing a threat to other phone networks that charge for the voice services, as consumers could use Google Voice as a free solution to nationwide phone calls, using a phone’s data connection.

Apple’s decision of banning the official Google Voice application as well as other applications such as GV Mobile and VoiceCentral was received with a lot of criticism from consumers, however it appears that for users that have already installed the application on their iPhone, it is still functional. BlackBerry and Android users are capable of installing and using the Google Voice application unhindered, which they can download at m.google.com/voice.