Google’s voice over internet protocol (VoIP) service, Google Voice, has been around since 2009. Google Voice lets you add a phone number to your Google account, allowing you to make calls and send texts over the internet, either using your web browser or a paired phone. It seems like some recent regulation is causing issues for Google Voice users, and it’s not clear whether there’ll be any kind of resolution.
According to threads on both Google’s support forums and Reddit, Google Voice users have been experiencing issues sending text messages through their Google Voice numbers. The issue, it seems, comes down to Google’s compliance with US guidelines limiting so-called application-to-person (A2P) messaging. As explained by a “Diamond Product Expert” on the Google Voice Help forum, recent regulation around 10DLC (10-digit long code) messaging restricts the ability to send text messages from non-mobile phone numbers, which, technically, is what Google Voice numbers are.
Limitations around 10DLC messaging are meant to crack down on businesses using applications like Google Voice to send text messages to customers or for marketing purposes, but it appears that regular users’ texts are getting caught up, too.
What you can do if you’re affected
If your Google Voice texts sent from your web browser are getting blocked, that Google Voice Diamond Product Expert shared a few steps you can try:
- Do not block any [.*]google.com cookies
- Do not use any plugins or extensions that filter out Google’s cookies; if you are unsure of this, at least temporarily uninstall them
- Never use any sort of script or other method to send the same or similar messages; this includes copying and pasting blocks of text.
Otherwise, the Product Expert recommends familiarizing yourself with Google Voice’s Acceptable Use Policy. If you’re not breaking the rules and your texts still aren’t going through, you might just be out of luck.