NUACOM vs Google Voice (2026): Honest Irish Comparison After the Blueface Shutdown
May 15, 202617 min readBubblyPhone Team
Verified May 2026 comparison. NUACOM is Ireland-native VoIP (Maynooth-based, 25,000+ clients, absorbed the Blueface refugees in October 2024). Google Voice is contracted via Google Voice Limited, 70 Sir John Rogerson's Quay, Dublin 2. Includes the €19/user pricing correction and Irish numbering reality (no more 1850/1890/076).
TL;DR — NUACOM vs Google Voice (2026)
- The story behind this comparison: Blueface — Ireland's longest-running VoIP company (founded 2004, Comcast-acquired Jan 2020) — ceased operations on 22 October 2024. NUACOM ran the most structured Blueface-migration programme; Google Voice ran none. Thousands of Irish businesses migrated to NUACOM.
- NUACOM pricing has changed: the €9.99 Essentials tier circulating in old reviews is gone. Live 2026 entry is Unlimited at €19/user/month annual (€25 monthly), with a 4-seat minimum. Enterprise tier from €25/user with 2-seat minimum. AI add-on €9/user/month.
- Google Voice Ireland is first-party (since 21 November 2019) via Google Voice Limited, 70 Sir John Rogerson's Quay, Dublin 2. Starter $10 / Standard $20 / Premier $30 per user/month + Workspace base ~$7. EMEA promo currently $16 / $24. No 4-seat minimum.
- Pick NUACOM if: you're an Irish SMB with 4+ users, need full +353 PBX (geographic, 1800, 0818, mobile-style numbers, IVR, call recording), want Irish-native Maynooth-team support, or are a Blueface refugee.
- Pick Google Voice if: you're a solo founder, 1–3 person team, already on Workspace, or need numbers in countries beyond Ireland.
- Pick neither (use BubblyPhone) if: you only need outbound calling, no inbound +353 number, no subscription — e.g. Irish diaspora abroad, Skype Out refugees, occasional callers. ~$0.028/min Irish landline.
The “NUACOM vs Google Voice” comparison is shaped by an event most non-Irish reviewers miss entirely: the October 2024 closure of Blueface, which had been the dominant Irish-native VoIP provider since 2004. Thousands of Irish SMBs were stranded. NUACOM stepped up with a structured migration programme — free porting, Irish onboarding, white-glove technical setup, no charge for advanced features during transition — and absorbed the majority of refugees. Google Voice didn't. So when an Irish business asks today “NUACOM or Google Voice?”, the comparison isn't just feature-by-feature; it's about which vendor showed up during the most disruptive year in Irish VoIP since deregulation. This guide is the verified May 2026 comparison — including the crucial pricing correction (NUACOM's €9.99 tier no longer exists) and the Irish numbering reality (no more 1850, 1890, or 076 since 1 January 2022).
The Blueface shutdown and NUACOM's rescue programme
Blueface was founded in Dublin in 2004 and grew into Ireland's longest-running independent VoIP company. After Comcast acquired Blueface in January 2020, the product remained operational for four more years until Comcast announced in mid-2024 that the platform would wind down. Per ComReg's public notice, Blueface formally ceased Irish operations on 22 October 2024.
Thousands of Irish small and medium businesses suddenly needed a new provider. NUACOM's migration programme through late 2024 and 2025 included:
- Free number porting from Blueface for migrating customers
- Free advanced features (call recording, IVR, etc.) during transition periods
- Irish-based onboarding teams handling individual SMB migrations rather than self-serve
- Dedicated marketing campaigns in Silicon Republic, Irish tech press, and direct outreach to Blueface customer lists
- Custom contracts honouring Blueface's legacy pricing for many migrators
The net effect is that NUACOM's 2025 customer base grew dramatically — the company now reports 25,000+ active clients across 26+ countries(though Ireland remains the dominant market). Google Voice, by contrast, didn't run any Blueface migration programme; its Ireland-first-party product had been live since November 2019 but it competed for organic Workspace customers rather than actively wooing Irish refugees.
NUACOM verified facts (May 2026)
- Founded: 2009 in Ireland as MyCleverPhone; rebranded to NUACOM in 2016.
- CEO: Igor Toma.
- HQ: Registered at Block J4, Maynooth Business Campus (Co. Kildare), with Dublin business presence. The team is Irish-based.
- Ownership: Independent. No private-equity acquisition or PE-backed rounds disclosed publicly.
- Customers: 25,000+ active clients across 26+ countries as of 2026, with Ireland the dominant market. Significantly grew post-October 2024 Blueface absorption.
- ComReg licensing: Fully licensed Irish telecom provider with full +353 number-issuance and porting rights, fully ComReg-compliant.
- Compliance posture: GDPR-native, aligned with Irish DPC (Data Protection Commission). NUACOM explicitly states that its AI features are not trained on customer data — a meaningful claim for Irish data-residency-conscious buyers.
NUACOM pricing (verified May 2026)
Important pricing correction:the €9.99/month Essentials tier that appears in many older reviews is no longer on nuacom.ie. The live 2026 lineup is:
| Tier | Annual (€/user/mo) | Monthly (€/user/mo) | Seat minimum | Real entry cost (annual) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unlimited | €19 | €25 | 4 seats | €76/mo annual or €100/mo monthly |
| Enterprise | €25 | Quote | 2 seats | €50/mo annual |
| AI add-on | +€9/user/mo | +€9/user/mo | — | On top of base tier |
For a solo Irish founder, the Enterprise tier's 2-seat minimum gives a real entry of €50/month annualfor an Irish business phone with full PBX features. For a typical 4–10 person SMB, the Unlimited tier at €19/user/month annual is the right fit. Note: NUACOM's legacy customer base, especially Blueface migrators, may be on grandfathered pricing not reflected in the public tiers. Always ask explicitly during the sales conversation.
Google Voice Ireland — the Dublin entity story
For the full picture see our Google Voice in Ireland guide. The key facts for this comparison:
- First-party calling since 21 November 2019. Ireland was one of the first European countries Google enabled for Workspace Voice.
- The Voice service provider entity is Irish: Google Voice Limited, 70 Sir John Rogerson's Quay, Dublin 2 (registered 1 July 2008). Unusually for non-European Google products, the contracting entity that provides Voice in the EEA (excluding France and Italy), Switzerland and the UK is incorporated in Dublin — not Mountain View or Singapore.
- Workspace Voice tiers: Starter $10 / Standard $20 / Premier $30 per user/month. EMEA promotional pricing currently shows Standard at $16 and Premier at $24. Plus Workspace base ~$7/user/month.
- No 4-seat minimum. Workspace Voice supports 1-seat customers.
- Personal Google Voice + 2025 Voice Starter Personal: both US-only.
- Limitations on Irish numbers: geographic +353 only (no 1800, no 0818, no 1500-series, no mobile porting). Ireland's 1850, 1890, and 076 ranges were withdrawn by ComReg on 1 January 2022 anyway, but the constraints on the remaining ranges still bite. No SMS on +353 Voice numbers.
Side-by-side feature comparison (verified May 2026)
| Feature | NUACOM | Google Voice |
|---|---|---|
| Seat minimum | 4 (Unlimited) or 2 (Enterprise) | 1 |
| Real entry price | €50–€76/mo annual | ~$17/mo for 1 seat (Workspace + Voice Starter) |
| Country footprint | Ireland primary (+ 25 other countries served) | 14 first-party + 20 SIP Link |
| +353 number variety | Full: geographic, 1800 freephone, 0818, mobile-style | Geographic +353 only (no 1800, no 0818, no mobile) |
| +353 number porting in | Full porting via ComReg, free for Blueface migrators | Only PSTN geographic; 08x mobile, 076 (withdrawn), 0818, VoIP excluded |
| SMS on +353 numbers | Yes | No (SMS only on US-linked accounts) |
| PBX / call-routing features | Full Irish PBX (IVR, hunt groups, queues, call recording, monitoring) | Ring groups + auto-attendant (basic) |
| AI features | AI add-on at +€9/user/mo. NUACOM states it doesn't train on customer data. | Voicemail transcription; basic call recording on Standard+ |
| Emergency calling (999 / 112) | Full ComReg-compliant routing via ECAS with Eircode | Yes via registered service address; with power-outage caveat |
| Blueface refugee migration support | Structured programme: free porting, white-glove onboarding | None |
| Support | 24/7 Irish-based team, English-speaking | Workspace support tiers |
| Sales motion | Sales-led with Irish onboarding | Self-serve via Workspace admin |
Sources: nuacom.ie/pricing, Google Voice supported countries, Voice service terms (Dublin entity), ComReg. Last verified May 2026.
Where NUACOM clearly wins
- Full Irish number suite. NUACOM issues geographic +353, 1800 freephone, 0818 NGN, mobile-style numbers, and supports full ComReg porting. Google Voice in Ireland is geographic-only — no 1800, no 0818, no mobile porting in. For an Irish business that needs to be reached on a real freephone or non-geographic number, this is decisive.
- SMS on +353 numbers. NUACOM does SMS. Google Voice on +353 does not (SMS limited to US-linked accounts). For customer-support workflows, appointment reminders, or 2FA delivery on a +353 number, NUACOM is the only one of the two that works.
- Full PBX features.Real IVR with menu builder, hunt groups, queue callback, supervisor whispering, call recording with consent management, voicemail- to-email. Google Voice Workspace has basic ring groups and auto-attendant but isn't a contact-centre product.
- Blueface migration support.Free porting from Blueface, free advanced features during transition, white-glove Irish onboarding teams. If you're a Blueface refugee, NUACOM is the natural answer — thousands of Irish SMBs have already migrated. Google Voice ran no equivalent programme.
- Irish-native support.NUACOM's support team is Maynooth-based, 24/7, English-speaking, with knowledge of Irish ComReg rules, Eircode-based emergency routing, and Irish business norms. Google Voice support goes through Workspace tiers that aren't Ireland-specific.
- Honest AI data posture.NUACOM's AI add-on (+€9/user/month) explicitly states it doesn't train on customer call data. Google Voice transcription falls under Google's broader Workspace data terms, which are more nuanced and US-cloud-hosted.
Where Google Voice clearly wins
- No seat minimum — solo founders supported.Google Voice Workspace Starter works with 1 seat. NUACOM's Unlimited tier requires 4 seats; Enterprise requires 2. For an Irish solo founder, freelancer, or one-person limited company, Google Voice at ~$17/month all-in beats NUACOM's €50–76/month minimum.
- Geographic footprint. Google Voice covers 14 first-party countries plus 20+ SIP Link countries. NUACOM serves Ireland as the dominant market plus 25 other countries via various arrangements. If your team has members in countries beyond Ireland (especially non-Western markets), Google Voice has broader native coverage.
- Already-Workspace teams. If your Irish team already pays for Google Workspace (Gmail, Drive, Calendar, Meet), adding Voice is another line under existing admin and billing. NUACOM is a separate vendor with separate SSO, separate identity, separate ongoing support relationship.
- Transparent self-serve pricing. Google Voice prices are published and you can sign up online in minutes through Workspace admin. NUACOM requires a sales conversation to confirm seat count and configuration.
- The Dublin entity story for Irish data sovereignty.Google Voice Limited (70 Sir John Rogerson's Quay, Dublin 2) is the contracting entity for Voice across the EEA (excluding France and Italy), Switzerland and the UK. For Irish public-sector or regulated-industry buyers, the contracting entity being Irish is itself a sovereignty argument — though data is still processed in Google's US-cloud regions. NUACOM's sovereignty argument is stronger (data hosted within Irish/EU regions, GDPR-native), but the Google Dublin entity is worth noting.
Where both lose — and BubblyPhone fits
The audiences both products fail to serve in Ireland:
- Solo founders or 1–3 person teams below NUACOM's 4-seat Unlimited minimum (Google Voice still works here, but only if you want an inbound number).
- Irish diaspora abroad — in the UK, Canada, Australia, US — who need to call home cheaply. Neither product is built for “I just want to dial Ireland from London/Toronto/Sydney/Boston without a subscription.”
- Skype Out refugees. Microsoft retired consumer Skype on 5 May 2025. The pay-as-you-go-to-PSTN model neither NUACOM nor Google Voice replicates.
- Occasional callers making a few hundred minutes per month who don't want a recurring subscription at all.
For those cases, BubblyPhoneis the right tool. We don't issue +353 inbound numbers, don't do SMS, and don't replace a NUACOM PBX or a Google Voice business line. What we do: pay-as-you-go outbound calling from a browser at ~$0.028/min to Irish landlines, with no subscription, 30 free minutes on signup, no card required, no app for your contacts in Ireland to install. As we positioned in our Sipgate vs Google Voice and Wildix vs Google Voice sister comparisons: NUACOM is built for Irish SMBs of 4+ users with full PBX needs. Google Voice is built for Workspace teams or US solo users. BubblyPhone is built for people who just need to dial Ireland.
Decision tree: which one is right for you?
Pick NUACOM if:
- You're an Irish SMB with 4+ users (Unlimited tier) or 2+ users (Enterprise tier).
- You need full Irish PBX features — 1800 freephone, 0818, mobile-style numbers, IVR, hunt groups, call recording.
- You need SMS on a +353 number for appointment reminders, 2FA, or customer service.
- You want Irish-based 24/7 support from a Maynooth team that understands ComReg, Eircode, and Irish business norms.
- You're a Blueface refugee after the October 2024 shutdown — NUACOM still offers structured migration support.
- Your DPO requires explicit assurance that AI features aren't trained on customer data.
Pick Google Voice if:
- You're an Irish solo founder, freelancer, or 1–3 person team below NUACOM's 4-seat minimum.
- Your team already runs on Google Workspace and you want Voice as another admin-managed line item.
- You need inbound numbers in countries beyond Ireland (one of GV's 14 first-party or 20+ SIP Link).
- You don't need SMS on the Irish number, 1800/0818 freephone, or rich PBX workflows.
- You want transparent self-serve signup without a sales conversation.
Pick neither (use BubblyPhone) if:
- You only need to call Irish numbers, not be reached on a +353.
- You're an Irish expat or diaspora user in the UK, Canada, Australia, US calling family or businesses back home.
- You're a Skype Out refugee after the 5 May 2025 shutdown.
- You make a few hundred minutes per month and don't want a subscription or sales conversation.
- You're a 1–3 person team that doesn't fit NUACOM's 4-seat minimum and doesn't want Workspace either.
2026 freshness anchors
- 22 October 2024: Blueface formally ceases Irish operations (per ComReg notice). The biggest event in Irish VoIP since deregulation.
- Late 2024–2025: NUACOM runs the most structured Blueface-migration programme — free porting, white-glove onboarding, Irish-team support. Absorbs the majority of Blueface refugees.
- 1 January 2022: ComReg withdraws the 1850, 1890, and 076 number ranges from Irish allocation. Most older NUACOM-vs-GV articles still reference 1850 / 1890 as if they exist — they don't in 2026.
- 5 May 2025: Microsoft retires consumer Skype globally. Neither NUACOM (€50+/mo minimum) nor Google Voice Ireland (no SMS, no 1800) fills the Skype Out consumer gap.
- 2025 (mid-year): Google launches Voice Starter Personal at $10/mo (US-only). Strengthens GV's solo-user position; no direct effect on Irish buyers.
- 2025–2026: NUACOM's pricing model evolves — the €9.99 Essentials tier circulating in old reviews is gone, replaced by Unlimited at €19/user with 4-seat minimum.
Just need to call Ireland?
BubblyPhone is the third option for callers who don't fit the NUACOM or Google Voice model. 30 free minutes on signup, no card required, no subscription, no 4-seat minimum, ~$0.028/min to Irish landlines.
Get 30 Free Minutes →Frequently Asked Questions
What happened to Blueface?
Blueface — founded in Dublin in 2004 and Ireland's longest-running independent VoIP provider — was acquired by Comcast in January 2020. After four more years of operation, Comcast announced the platform would wind down, and Blueface formally ceased Irish operations on 22 October 2024 per ComReg's public notice. Thousands of Irish small and medium businesses were left without a provider. NUACOM ran the most structured migration programme — free porting from Blueface, white-glove Irish onboarding, and free advanced features during transition. Most Irish SMBs that migrated chose NUACOM. Google Voice ran no equivalent migration support.
Is NUACOM still €9.99/user/month?
No. The €9.99/month Essentials tier that appears in many older reviews has been retired. As of 2026, NUACOM's public pricing on nuacom.ie shows Unlimited at €19/user/month annual (€25 monthly) with a 4-seat minimum, and Enterprise at €25/user/month annual with a 2-seat minimum. AI add-on is +€9/user/month on top. Note: existing Blueface migrators may be on grandfathered pricing not reflected in these public tiers — always ask explicitly.
Who actually provides Google Voice in Ireland?
Per Google's Voice service terms, the named provider for the EEA (excluding France and Italy), Switzerland and the UK is Google Voice Limited, 70 Sir John Rogerson's Quay, Dublin 2, Ireland— a registered Irish company since 1 July 2008. So Irish customers' Voice contracts are with an Irish-registered entity. The underlying cloud infrastructure is still Google's US-cloud regions, but the contracting entity is Irish. NUACOM's sovereignty story is stronger (data hosted within Irish / EU regions), but the Google Dublin entity is worth knowing.
Can I get an Irish 1800 freephone number from Google Voice?
No. Google Voice in Ireland issues geographic +353 numbers only — no 1800 freephone, no 0818, no mobile-style. NUACOM offers the full +353 number suite including 1800 freephone for Irish business voicemail-trees and customer- service hotlines. If you need a +353 1800 freephone number, NUACOM is the answer; Google Voice cannot provide one.
Can I port my Irish mobile number to either NUACOM or Google Voice?
NUACOM yes (Irish-mobile-style numbers via full ComReg porting); Google Voice no. Google Voice's number-porting rules explicitly exclude mobile, nomadic, and VoIP numbers in European countries. In the Irish context that covers 08x mobile (083/085/086/087/089), 0818 callsave, and most VoIP-issued geographic numbers. Only PSTN-anchored geographic landlines from traditional copper carriers can be ported into Google Voice, and even then with full LoA paperwork. Note also that ComReg withdrew the 076 nomadic VoIP range on 1 January 2022— so 076 numbers don't exist as a porting target either.
Does NUACOM support SMS on Irish +353 numbers?
Yes. Google Voice does not support SMS on Irish +353 numbers — SMS is limited to US-linked accounts. For appointment reminders, 2FA delivery, customer-service SMS workflows on an Irish business number, NUACOM is the only one of the two that works.
Does NUACOM train its AI on customer call data?
No. NUACOM's AI add-on (+€9/user/month for transcription, summaries, and similar features) explicitly states that customer call data is not used to train the underlying models — a meaningful claim for Irish data-residency- and DPC-conscious buyers. Google Voice transcription falls under Google's broader Workspace data terms, which are more nuanced and ultimately involve US-cloud processing.
Does NUACOM support 999 / 112 emergency calling?
Yes — NUACOM is a fully ComReg-licensed Irish provider with full 999/112 routing via the Emergency Call Answering Service (ECAS) using Eircode-based location. Google Voice in Ireland also supports 999/112 via the registered service address but with the standard nomadic-VoIP caveat that calls won't work during power, internet, or Voice service outages. Both comply with ComReg rules; NUACOM has a longer Ireland-specific operational track record.
When does it make more sense to use BubblyPhone instead?
When you don't need an inbound +353 number, don't need SMS, and don't want a subscription. Clearest cases: Irish solo founders below NUACOM's 4-seat Unlimited minimum; Irish diaspora abroad (UK, Canada, Australia, US) calling family or businesses back home; Skype Out refugees after Microsoft's 5 May 2025 shutdown; occasional callers making a few hundred minutes per month. BubblyPhone's pay-as-you-go web dialler at ~$0.028/min to Irish landlines with 30 free signup minutes and no card required fits all of those.
Are 1850 and 1890 numbers still available in Ireland?
No. ComReg withdrew the 1850, 1890, and 076 number ranges on 1 January 2022. Irish non-geographic numbers in 2026 are primarily 1800 (freephone) and 0818 (national rate). Most older NUACOM-vs-GV comparison articles still reference 1850/1890 as if they exist — they don't in 2026. NUACOM supports the modern 1800 and 0818 ranges; Google Voice supports neither.
Related Resources
Google Voice in Ireland
Nov 2019 launch + Dublin entity + post-Blueface landscape
Sipgate vs Google Voice
German PBX comparison with the 2-user minimum
Wildix vs Google Voice
Italian-founded UCaaS in Gartner MQ vs cloud PBX
Quo vs Google Voice
SaaS phone after the OpenPhone rebrand
Google Voice Worldwide Hub
Full country list and per-market guides
BubblyPhone Rates
Per-country pay-as-you-go pricing