Google Talked to Sprint and Verizon About Becoming an MVNO

[CaptainSlow]

Discuss

 

Google talked to Sprint, Verizon about offering its own wireless service

 

Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) is weighing the possibility of launching its own wireless service in markets where it offers its Google Fiber high-speed Internet service, according to a report in The Information. The report, which cited unnamed sources who have discussed the matter with Google, said that Google executives in recent months have discussed the idea of offering a "full-fledged wireless service" in those markets, possibly through a partnership with Sprint or Verizon Wireless. Google currently offers Fiber in Kansas City, Mo., and Provo, Utah, and plans to bring it to Austin, Texas. In February, Google said it plans to explore the idea of bringing its 1 Gbps fiber to the home (FTTH) service to an additional 34 cities across 9 U.S. metro areas

Link to article on FierceWireless.

[bigsnake49]

Discuss

 

Google talked to Sprint, Verizon about offering its own wireless service

 

Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) is weighing the possibility of launching its own wireless service in markets where it offers its Google Fiber high-speed Internet service, according to a report in The Information. The report, which cited unnamed sources who have discussed the matter with Google, said that Google executives in recent months have discussed the idea of offering a "full-fledged wireless service" in those markets, possibly through a partnership with Sprint or Verizon Wireless. Google currently offers Fiber in Kansas City, Mo., and Provo, Utah, and plans to bring it to Austin, Texas. In February, Google said it plans to explore the idea of bringing its 1 Gbps fiber to the home (FTTH) service to an additional 34 cities across 9 U.S. metro areas

 

Link to article on FierceWireless.

 

 

It's about time....! Common Apple! Come to think of it, Apple should just purchase Level-3 for cash. The become an MVNO of all 4 networks.

Edited April 3, 2014 by bigsnake49

[Sprke]

It's about time....! Common Apple! Come to think of it, Apple should just purchase Level-3 for cash. The become an MVNO of all 4 networks.

I would love to see somebody like Apple or Google to come throw a bunch of cash around and put the sqawheetus on the 4 carriers.. Apple would probably be in the best position to do something. They have the phone millions want and they have a bunch of cash..

 

Sent from my Nexus 5

 

 

[Mondays In Flames]

put the sqawheetus on the 4 carriers

 

Put the what?

 

Also if this happens it will be interesting to see how Google will make money from it, or how their pricing structure will be.

 

 

-Luis

[Destroyallcubes]

I would love to see somebody like Apple or Google to come throw a bunch of cash around and put the sqawheetus on the 4 carriers.. Apple would probably be in the best position to do something. They have the phone millions want and they have a bunch of cash..

 

Sent from my Nexus 5

I don't think apple would ever be able to afford to build out a network to compete to the big 4. Too much money on the line....what in the world is sqawheetus???

[derrph]

People bash Sprint...mostly those who are T-Mobile customers but I see Google didn't speak to them about a possible partnership...

 

Sent from my LG-LS995 using Tapatalk

 

 

[uh60james]

There is a more thorough article on this somewhere but now I cannot locate it.  It mentioned city wide wifi in Google Fiber markets and using a national carrier outside of them.  I can't see VZW being interested in this at all.  Why help somebody erode your own user base.

[Cubbiefan82]

I would love to see google partner up with sprint, I think with the three markets where google fiber is. They can use tri-band phones in all markets and give users a service at reasonable prices :-)

[xdfgf]

I think it's kinda interesting that they spoke to the CDMA operators and not (that we know of) the two GSM providers. CDMA gets a lot of heat from multi phone users but the engineers and business people must see something worthwhile in it.

[Tajustin95]

I personally feel that Sprint should be a partner with Google since they have really been pushing for a consolidation for scale to compete against the duopoly of Verizon and AT&T. Masayoshi Son wants to lower the price and offer faster speeds, and who better than Google to keep them in check. Since personally VZW is against net neutrality while Larry Page is for it strongly. It really seems that they won't we a really strong partner at all. While Sprint is intrigued to bring internet speeds through wireless up to 200mb/s. I personally can write an article about this. Though I want to hear everyones personal thoughts.

[centermedic]

I have to find the article but apparently Google broke off talks with Sprint after the Softbank purchase. Makes you wonder why.

[Geesmill]

I like the idea as Google as another option.  I think this could really pick up some steam when LTE handsets are inter-operable on most all bands.  I had this discussion on a different board a while back where the idea was brought up that a MVNO wouldn't have to pick just one carrier to partner with.  

 

Once the antenna and chipset designs are capable of cramming every band into one handset it would be possible to go with the carrier who ever best meets your business model.  That could be providing a Least Cost Routing solution where carriers offer up network access on an open market platform where the access is bought and sold on an monthly, weekly, daily, and hourly basis.  Electric Utilities operate in this fashion today with a fraction of the IT infrastructure that telecom employs.  I know it is apples and oranges, but if any company has the money and computing know how to get a market as such up and running Page and Brin are the ones.

 

Anyway I imagine if Google can't get the access they want they could always bid up prices in the next round of auctions.  Maybe use that as a bargaining chip with existing carriers.  At least in a Google MVNO situation the bits would be running through Sprint or VZW's network.  A "The devil you know situation."