Comments on: Google versus the telecoms

If Google wins the 700MHz wireless spectrum auction in January, expect Google-branded phones galore.

[iphonesbiz]

NOT ANOTHER WIRELESS CARRIER

Really Who Ever Wrote This Should Really look at the Cell Phone Industry as a whole. I find it hard to beleive that compnies such as at&t, sprint, Verizon, Alltel and t-mobile will sit by and let google erode the value that these companies provide. Companies such as at&t and verizon have been around for more the 15 years and have spent billions of dollars on building their networks out and maintaining it. Google has long way to go to build a network that would even come close to t-mobile which is the smallest of the national carriers. Google may have to spend countless of billions of dollars to even come close to providing phone service. Then they will have to incure countless of expenses in the process. I don't see this happening anytime soon. Google is company that will keep you guessing on what it may or may not do with this spectrum. But one thing is certain they are not going to be a WIRELESS CARRIER. This i dont see happening. In many ways they will follow the footsteps of many great companies who screw up and dive into somthing that they really have no business being in. GOOGLE IS AFTER ADVERTISING AND THATS IT.. ANDROID IS JUST THE STEPING STONE FOR ALL THIS.. GOOGLE WILL SOMEHOW GET PEOPLE TO ADVERTISE ON CELL PHONES AND WHAT NOT..


its like i said before in order for google to make any kind of impact on the wireless industry as a whole it really has to build its own network from the ground up and i just don't see that happening in the near term. Google would literaly have to spend untolds amount of billions of dollars to create a customer service call center and going to each and every metropolitin city and establishing towers in an already saturated market. City's wont be so eager to approve permits to build more towers on roof tops and highways and mountains like before. It's Just too much of eye sore for most people. This is why im saying Google is not Getting into the traditional wireless business. I see them building an advertising network that will allow companies to partner up with google and share the revenue stream. Again, i don't see what sort of value google will attempt to bring to the table. Mind You Att already has a tight relationship with Yahoo and verizon is not company known to be freindly towards it's competitors. All i can say is that Google has an uphill battle if indeed it intends to become a carrier with spotty coverage. Again i doubt they will go down that road..Google is after advertising dollars and that is the main goal. If there goal is to drive down cost of air time bills it might do so by sharing it's advertising revenue with carriers. But who knows the possiblities here. As usal google is hush hush on this and i assume they will be untill who knows when...

[forcwis]

Not another corporate sympathizer!?

Do you enjoy the stranglehold these companies have on the market? Just because these companies have been around a "whole 15 years", does not mean others should abandon any kind of corporate competition. In addition, just an FYI, the infrastructure already exists in the 700 MHz spectrum.

[stockyjoe]

You dont work for AT&T or Apple do you.

Personally mr iphonesbiz I would love for Google to break into the wireless carrier business and break up the nickel and diming schemes these big telco companies have ben pulling on people for years. In fact, I think it would be real cool if Vonage merged with Google so AT&T or Verizon couldnt so easily bully them around.

[iphonesbiz]

No Google Wireless Network After All? Verizon May Win Spectrum Auction

We?ve been keeping an eye on the FCC?s 700MHz spectrum auction for the last couple of weeks. The bidding war commenced back on January 24, and, after seeing things get off to a slow start with several days of oddly small bites by various participates for the five ?blocks,? (A,B,C,D,E) big money has now taken the stage. The portion of spectrum known as ?C block? alone has already surpassed the $4.6B reserve mark. (That is the point at which the buyer agrees by default to abide by open networking rules.)

And as many of you know, Google has kept its sights strongly on C block, which many have considered essential to the company?s technological framework if it were to pursue the creation of its own US-based wireless network. (Some, including myself, believed that such an enterprise might have been planned.) Google negotiated forcibly with the FCC, against opposition brought by several established American telecommunications giants, to ensure that that particular aspect of the auction carry with it the requirement of remaining an open space by which any and all competitors could transmit data freely.

Well, for those of you who had hoped for the future arrival of ?Google Wireless,? we may have to disappoint. News arrived this morning that essentially signified Google?s all-but-certain defeat by telecom megalith Verizon for the prized C block spectrum.

Last week, speculation as to the status of the auction was quite intense. Some said that Google had put forth a $4.7B ($100m north of the reserve price), giving it a strong chance of coming away from the process with its hands full. Earlier today, however, Elizabeth Woyke of Forbes.com reported that Verizon?s interest in the C block was not shaken by Mountain View?s move, and is likely determined to claim the wireless space in order to, in the words of Stifel Nicolaus analyst Rebecca Arbogast, ?close the gap?(with) AT&T.?

Arbogast went on to say that she was ?reasonably confident that Google does not have the spectrum now.?

While this update comes as something of a personal surprise (I have been observing the 700MHz auction rather eagerly), I cannot say that I?ve been entirely thrown. It was certainly a bit of a stretch to think Google would go through to the very end to claim the prize. I figured the chance of a Google win to be just a bit greater to that of another party?s. Nonetheless, Google appears slated to leave the auction empty handed.

Except, well, not empty handed. Remember, Google has ensured the openness of the 700MHz. Though the vision of ?Google Wireless? is an idea now bound to reside only in the realm of fan fiction, we are guaranteed to encounter minimal technological barriers wherever the C block spectrum is ultimately employed. That?s something to look forward to, yes?

[twolf2919]

Uhh - they're not buying spectrum in rest of world!

The article is making this big point about how Google could make a big splash, especially internationally, where people are more dependent on their cell phones than here in the U.S. But duh!?! This auction is for US spectrum!!! So how will this help Google in the rest of the world??? If Google can't get spectrum in other parts of the world then a "Google phone" wouldn't be much good there, now would it?

Sometimes, I feel the hype is just getting out of hand.

[hawkeyeaz1]

Not quite informed

No, Google isn't (currently) buying the 700 MHz spectrum in the rest of the world, but they don't necessarily need to.

Other countries are gearing the 700 MHz spectrum for use by portable devices, so in coming years, it may go up for auction, or it will be handed over to the people.

Also, the rest of the world has a rather free take on phones and access compared to the US.

But, either way, nothing precludes the phones from supporting several different spectrums for communication.

[Rusty Digital Marketing]

America's new phone company - MaGoogle?

There's more to offering a wireless service than "just" buying spectrum. Also, they might need to buy Skype to round out the service.
More thoughts on what Google's likely to do at:
http://www.digitalmarketing.us/blog

[Swampthing18]

Google vs. Telecoms with the right mobile application

May be the readers comments will help Google make a right decision for their mobile browser when it is finally released.

IMO, Google needs to offer mobile phone users the ability to get instant information in one click. They need to simplify typing into the go window.

To make their mobile application a hit, the consumer should be able to get that information in one click when I click on the logo, trademark, keyword or words, slogan, billboards, RFID tags, 1D, and 2D barcodes, direct or indirect, etc. If they offer the most, why go anywhere else. I want to be able to say the words into my mobile device and go to the site. Why type?

Once these items are clicked or spoken into the mobile device, it becomes your mouse. Objects are turned on. Mobile Navigation is simplified. Information to bus scheudles, price comparison, nearest location of a resturaunt to your cell position, best route to avoid traffic, coupons from the brand, reviews, trailers for movies, etc. The possibilities are endless if the right giant offers it.

http://www.neoreader.com

Now, if they open up the service to avoid the carriers, the marketing possibilites, clicks, and revenue streams for them are endless. It is all about REVENUE right?

But, what do I know. I am a consumer. That is what I would want. The mobile web where ever I go.

[austere_sly]

google success on telecome is far story

700 mhz band would require new handset. That shouldn't be problem as handset maker would make such handsets but it international subscribers would have to look out because I don't know of another country in world where operators would get 700 MHz frequency.

And also google should not majorly rely on Ad business on mobile because Ads in PC web page are frustrating enough, just imagine how frustrating it would like on a small mobile phone screen.

[Quemannn]

Worldwide timeline of 700MHz spectrum

In USA, the 700MHZ spectrum will be released by TV stations in 2008, and in Asia, around 2009 and EU by 2010.

[Quemannn]

Google will surely pick partners

Chances are that SK Telecom may join the auction, along with Earthlink,which is phasing out its WiFi Muni business. SK Telecom's $5 billion investment offer was turned down by Sprint lately.
Sprint wants to jump to 4G, whereas AT&T and Verizon want a slow transition to 3G from the current 2.5G. Don't be foolish to mention iPhone here. Iphone is a 2G phone, based on EDGE, and iPhone-like multitouch features were introduced in Korea 3 years ago. But the current speed of US network can't support hi-tech multimedia phones used in Korea. If ATT&T or Verizon won the auctin, it would be the slow shift to 3G. If Google or other newcomers won the auction, it would be a faster transition to 4G.
Contrary to Wall Street analysts' views, Google's bidding will be something more realistic than just a grandstand play aimed at entreching big carriers.

[royc]

Google buys

the 700 MHz then leases it to AT&T, or whoever for the new phones for the iNet and then their ads are all over the phones but not to the point that it gets users upset.