Google goes global with VOIP.

Search engine giant, Google has expanded its Google Talk voice over Internet protocol (VOIP) service beyond the US, to more than 150 locations around the world in 38 languages, reports Computer Weekly.

Google has also slashed its calling rates in a bid to go head-to-head against Microsoft's Skype service.

ZDnet reveals Google product manager, Pierre Lebeau, says international users can call any mobile or landline number directly from Gmail or social network Google+.

Users can still call or video conference with people for free over the Google Talk Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol network. However, they will need to pay if they want to use Google Talk to chat with people on their conventional phones in other countries.

To further support international users, Google is also enabling users to buy calling credit in four currencies (US dollars, Canadian dollars, euros, and British pounds), according to Digital Trends.

The Washington Post says compared to Skype rates, some, but not all, of Google's rates are cheaper. For example, a call to a Japanese landline is about the same on Google and Skype - 2 cents per minute and 2.6 cents per minute - while a call to a Japanese mobile phone is 6.5 cents cheaper per minute on Google.