Google has just positioned the Google Voice service as even more of a potential voice plan replacement by letting users keep their existing phone numbers.

In the off chance that wireless carriers weren't already threatened enough by the nearly universally positive response being given to , the company has just positioned the service as even more of a potential voice plan replacement by letting users keep their existing phone numbers.

New Voice users who opt to keep their existing numbers won't get quite as many features as those who choose new Google numbers. SMS via e-mail, a unified number across phones, call recording, call blocking, and conference calls won't be available, but those users will still get online voicemail, voice transcription, cheap international calling, and e-mail/SMS notifications.

Previously, when you created a Google Voice account, we asked you to select a new Google phone number," Pieere Lebeau, a Google product manager wrote in a blog post late on Monday night. "This allowed us to offer features like call forwarding, screening, and recording. But we know not everyone wants to start using a new phone number, so we've been working on another option for people who are willing to trade some features for the ability to keep their existing number."

Google Voice, of course, is still amid , among others. On Oct. 20, Google also - the most famous feature of Google Voice - from its own search engine.