Question Why has Google removed the phone calls feature from Google Home?

[jonathanracko]

My disabled mother lives isolated in a care home and relied on her Google Home device to keep in contact with friends and family. She can no longer phone them because in December 2020 Google removed the ability to make phone calls to UK mobiles and telephone landlines using Google Home devices.

Google clearly have no consideration for existing users - let alone disabled users - of the features provided on their devices. Google should have considered who they would hurt by removing this function from Google Home devices.

Google seem unable to explain why they have done this - does anyone know why they did it?

 

[COLGeek]

See here:

https://support.google.com/googlenest/answer/7363847?co=GENIE.Platform=iOS&hl=en

However, no reason was given for the change.

 

[jonathanracko]

> However, no reason was given for the change. <<

Er, yes, well done! That's exactly why I asked the question: "Google seem unable to explain why they have done this - does anyone know why they did it? "

 

[COLGeek]

I suspect it could be as the result of a legal issue specific to the UK. Could even be Brexit related. Not sure, beyond that speculation.

 

[jonathanracko]

ALL of that is speculation. Please don't reply to messages if you have nothing definitive to add.

 

[COLGeek]

ALL of that is speculation. Please don't reply to messages if you have nothing definitive to add.

Good luck. Only Google can definitively provide a response and they don't hang out on TG.

 

[jonathanracko]

I'm curious, how would you know whether or not there are Google employees on this forum?

 

[COLGeek]

I'm curious, how would you know whether or not there are Google employees on this forum?

Well, I am a moderator on this site and generally know who the official reps are.

That being said, Google employees are very unlikely to provide an official response on a forum like this (and not their own).

Still, one of them could come along. Good luck.

 

[jonathanracko]

I doubt Google employees would identify themselves on the forum, but I expect it is monitored by Google like so much else is.