Google has bought GrandCentral Communications, a fledgling internet firm that gives people telephone numbers that essentially follow them wherever they go.
Google did not disclose how much it paid for the Silicon Valley start-up but said the technology would give users of Google's services another way to communicate.
GrandCentral users receive 'one number for life' that they can route to home telephones, office lines or mobile devices as they wish by using the internet.
Telephone messages can be listened to from any phone or online and forwarded to any number, according to GrandCentral.
