For what its worth, I think it makes a lot of sense, from Google’s own desire to organize the world’s information.  GrandCentral allows users to have a central phone number, but it also allows users to access phone messages, address books, and all manner of goodies through a completely digital / online interface.

With this acquisition, it will allow Google to organize, track, and categorize phone messages — and give it a foothold in an arena that it hasn’t yet spread its vast tentacles into.

So what I mean about the “unanswered question”?

Well, I’ll start with this.  I was interested in trying GrandCentral.  Lots of pleasant hype.  Mike Arrington gave it his blessing out of all other web applications he’s reviewed in recent weeks.  Fine and dandy.

Now, GrandCentral’s “one phone number” thing means that it will ring all of your other phone numbers when a central number is called.  Pretty cool, right?  You only have to hand out a single phone number again. 

So, the question *I* had were there any extra charges with GrandCentral?  No, I don’t mean with the Beta, because all is free during the Beta.  Rather, are there any extra *phone* charges?  Am I going to get dinged with a long distance charge every time I get an incoming call because its telephone technology?

Hey — there isn’t a FAQ to address this issue (maybe there should be — or maybe I couldn’t find it).

Answer: There should in fact be no extra charges on any of your listed phones.

Here’s why.  When you sign up with GrandCentral, it will ask you to determine that phone number — that central “one phone number to rule them all” number.  As long as you pick a phone number in an area code that all of your other phone numbers are in (or, an area code where long distance charges aren’t applied to your phone number), you should be fine — because GrandCentral calls “from” that area code.

Example: I got phone number in San Franciso.  When I get calls from that number to any phone number that I list as ones they should call (when that universal phone number gets rung)?  San Francisco, California!

Now the only problem is that it doesn’t yet have service in Toronto, or Canada for that matter.  When it does — and with that Google acquisition on the horizon, you can bet it probably will — a more in depth review will be forthwith!