This would certainly be a win for the users - current Wi-Fi systems are shocking! Unreliable signal strength, high tariffs and the only places pretty much guaranteed to have wireless being trendy urban coffee houses and airports. This reporter says: "Bring - it - on!".
Understandably, there are a few in the industry not so keen to see this happen...mainly those that are trying to make a buck or two out of it - how can you compete with 'free' after all? This little Google venture has however started some chins wagging about what else they plan on unveiling in their pursuit of the Global market.
The mobile phone business has become very much company-lead in a consumer-lead world and as such there has to be a time when someone will come along and revolutionise the industry. Is Google the media monster to do it? No tariffs, free handsets, no excruciatingly annoying 18 month contracts... I can see it now, and to be honest I would sign up. Virgin mobile is trying its hardest to do things differently but it will take more than a Kate Moss advert post 'Cocaine-gate' to convince the masses. We the public have become pretty numb to gimmicks as a whole and now really want something better, stronger, and cheaper than before.
We are at these companies mercy as it stands, and can but shout down the phone in the hope that a person on the other end of the line will deign to pick up the phone.
The Scotsman newspaper has quoted Adam Walkden, a consultant at analyst firm Visiongain, as saying: "We believe [Google] are considering offering the service - possibly by partnering other internet service providers, outside the US."
Wait a minute then - has our little dream here just been shot down? Is it the mobile phone pie Google want a piece of, or is it purely connectivity Google's interested in?
Google's highly successful, largely advertising based, business model has allowed them to offer their services for free. A win for the user and a win for Google. If they can use this business model and include local advertising to Wi-Fi users, why can't they also use it to provide mobile phone services in the long run?
A win for the user and a win for Google. The only ones losing out on this appear to be those that failed to imagine the possibilities - something you could certainly never accuse Google of. Hey, bottom line is: you snooze you lose...that's capitalism for you.
