SAN JOSE, Calif.--A team of Google honchos met this week with several Net telephone service providers, sources familiar with the talks told CNET News.com, renewing speculation that the search giant may be exploring a move into the fast-growing market.

"They were fairly aggressive about getting our opinions," said one Internet phone executive who facilitated several meetings between Google and Net phone interests here at Spring 2005 Voice on the Net. The executive requested anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the meetings.

Google product manager Eric Sachs was among nine Google employees who attended this week's conference, which at 6,000 attendees this year is one of the largest of its kind in the country, one source said. Sachs is a longtime friend of Jeff Pulver, founder of free Internet phone provider Free World Dialup, and creator of the VON conferences.

Google declined to comment for this story.

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