If Google offered cellular wireless service, would you be interested?

[Cuda1447]

I thought Google was going to buy T-Mobile awhile back, turn T-Mobile into an all data network and just use google voice for everything. $40 a month unlimited everything. That was the conspiracy theorist in me at least.

 

[JS80]

They should buy sprint or metro pcs.

 

[boomhower]

Just because they are google? No. If they had comparable coverage for a lower price? Sure. Something tells me that it's not going to happen because none of the current providers are going to sign a roaming agreement with them just to keep them out of the market. Rolling out a nationwide cell service is going to be much more expensive than it's worth. The dollar amount to build that many towers has to be mind boggling. Having spectrum and dark fiber does not even come close to having what's needed for cell service.

 

[Bateluer]

The dollar amount to build that many towers has to be mind boggling. Having spectrum and dark fiber does not even come close to having what's needed for cell service.

No question. But buying a few regional carriers? Google has a lot of cash on hand, and more rolling in.

 

[nixium]

+1 to deeko's post. I don't trust Google with all my info. They're an evil corporation just like any other, pithy motto not withstanding.

 

[zerocool84]

+1 to deeko's post. I don't trust Google with all my info. They're an evil corporation just like any other, pithy motto not withstanding.

I'm not defending Google but what's different than any other company? I'm sure Apple has all their customer's info as well as Microsoft as both have operating systems and phone OS's and browsers. It's just Google is much more popular right now.

 

[ViRGE]

I'm not defending Google but what's different than any other company? I'm sure Apple has all their customer's info as well as Microsoft as both have operating systems and phone OS's and browsers. It's just Google is much more popular right now.

The difference is that with Apple and Microsoft you are the customer. With Google you are the product, the advertisers are the customers. So while Apple/MS/etc have that data, it's Google whose business plan is to exploit that data by selling it.

So no, I wouldn't use Google as a carrier.

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

The difference is that with Apple and Microsoft you are the customer. With Google you are the product, the advertisers are the customers.

Never thought about it that way, but that's totally true.

 

[zebrax2]

The difference is that with Apple and Microsoft you are the customer. With Google you are the product, the advertisers are the customers. So while Apple/MS/etc have that data, it's Google whose business plan is to exploit that data by selling it.

So no, I wouldn't use Google as a carrier.

You also need to cancel microsoft since most of the services google provides they also provide (search engine, OS, etc.)

 

[SunnyD]

They should buy sprint or metro pcs.

MetroPCS isn't worth it, the footprint and more importantly the spectrum footprint is too small (I believe MetroPCS doesn't have nation-wide coverage in terms of spectrum licenses).

Sprint... I'm not sure it COULD happen. Though the more I think about it, the more it does sound like a logical fit. But I don't think Google would want to deal with all the legacy crap Sprint has to still support.

T-Mo is the most logical fit, but I don't think DT would outright sell T-Mo to Google, rather than try to extract a large partnership stake out of it. Plus being German, DT is predisposed to distrusting Google in terms of anticompetitive behavior (EU hates Google and Microsoft, and soon Apple it looks too).

 

[Pliablemoose]

The logical choice would be Clear, they're just about done for, and could be bought for a song. Data only too...

 

[Gooberlx2]

Sprint... I'm not sure it COULD happen. Though the more I think about it, the more it does sound like a logical fit. But I don't think Google would want to deal with all the legacy crap Sprint has to still support.

Can Sprint's CDMA stuff be converted to GSM? I don't think Google would even consider the former.

 

[NetGuySC]

I would seriously consider it.. would be tough to drag me from verizon though.

 

[LostPassword]

if its competitive and gsm

 

[corkyg]

Short answer, . . . no!

 

[SunnyD]

Can Sprint's CDMA stuff be converted to GSM? I don't think Google would even consider the former.

Of course it could. Spectrum is spectrum... how you ride it is simply what equipment you use. All Google would have to do is cough up cash and change all the hardware. Of course preexisting Sprint customers might be a little miffed at a wholesale change like that. But there is precedent anyway - Sprint is shutting down iDEN and moving people to CDMA.

 

[Shlong]

MetroPCS isn't worth it, the footprint and more importantly the spectrum footprint is too small (I believe MetroPCS doesn't have nation-wide coverage in terms of spectrum licenses).

Sprint... I'm not sure it COULD happen. Though the more I think about it, the more it does sound like a logical fit. But I don't think Google would want to deal with all the legacy crap Sprint has to still support.

T-Mo is the most logical fit, but I don't think DT would outright sell T-Mo to Google, rather than try to extract a large partnership stake out of it. Plus being German, DT is predisposed to distrusting Google in terms of anticompetitive behavior (EU hates Google and Microsoft, and soon Apple it looks too).

MetroPCS has Spectrum in almost all the major markets. In terms of footprint, they're in 90% of the country now. Google with their current acquisitions and resources could easily build it out as well.