Google Inks Deal With Sprint, T-Mobile to Become Wireless Carrier

[Rogifan]

You are jumping the gun a little bit don't you think?

I mean, how do you know? Google has not announced a single thing. Google has it's hands in a lot of things so for all we know they could end up utilizing Sprint and T-Mobile for things other than phones like the automobile or connected devices..... or they'll do exactly what people are thinking and offer phone and data service with something like all access bundled in.

Let's wait for an official announcement before jumping to conclusions.

But people are jumping to conclusions, namely that they're going to get cheaper prices and faster service. I guess they're expecting Google to subsidize this?

 

[Going Digital]

Why not buy sprint?

Sprint has been struggling lately, why didn't google just buy them and turn make it their own service. By reselling time on the sprint network they have limited influence on how sprint manages the network and at the same time helps sprint build their business.

 

[Oletros]

Makes sense. The more ubiquitous and cheaper it is to get onto the Internet, the more eyeballs there will be for selling ads.

Google doesn't even have to win; they just need to threaten carriers and ISPs enough to drive down prices.

Of course, some will view it as Google being altruistic/not being evil.

Teaming with Sprint and T-mobile is not altruistic, but why is evil?

 

[danielsutton]

[url=http://cdn.macrumors.com/im/macrumorsthreadlogodarkd.png]Image[/url]


Google has signed deals with Sprint and T-Mobile that will allow it to sell wireless service directly to consumers, reports The Wall Street Journal, adding to a report released by The Information earlier today. The publication's sources suggest that Google's entry into the wireless service industry may be part of an effort to persuade carriers to bolster speeds and cut down on pricing. Positioning itself as a wireless carrier is also part of Google's larger effort to provide better Internet coverage across the United States.

Image​

Currently, there are four major carriers in the United States: T-Mobile, Sprint, AT&T, and Verizon, and while T-Mobile has made efforts to shake up the wireless industry with its Un-Carrier initiatives, wireless service in the United States remains much pricier than in other countries, with subscribers getting less data for more money.

Details on how Google will offer wireless service, its cost, or when it will launch are not known, but like the rollout of its Google Fiber broadband internet service, Google-branded wireless service could launch in a limited number of cities to begin with.As it will operate as an MVNO, or mobile virtual network operator, Google will not need to build out the infrastructure for its own wireless network, instead providing T-Mobile or Sprint service that's controlled by and sold through Google. Other well-known MVNO's include Boost Mobile, FreedomPop, and Straight Talk.

In the past, there have been rumors and speculation suggesting that Apple too would take on the role of a mobile carrier, selling service directly to consumers, but Apple has not made any moves in that direction. In fact, in 2012, Apple CEO Tim Cook said that Apple did not need to own a carrier or provide its own wireless service, stating that the company would be better off focusing its efforts on making great devices than attempting to get into a market out of its area of expertise.

Article Link: Google Inks Deal With Sprint, T-Mobile to Become Wireless Carrier

I wish that Ape would become a carrier, they can hire the talent with the expertise to operate a carrier. As it stands now, Apple makes great products that are bound to the carriers' networks in order to communicate with the world. Contracts and breakdowns are out of Apple's control. If they were to become a carrier, they could offer fantastic perks that nobody else does, and also make wireless communications more affordable and accessible to all.

 

[Solomani]

Apple is in the business of making money. Last time I checked AT&T and Verizon make lots of money.

They are already in the industry, you would be lying to yourself if you don't think apple doesn't at least ponder the thought

Ponder? Not just ponder the thought…. Apple has experience BEING as an ISP in the 1990s. It's called eWorld, the Apple version of AOL.

eWorld lasted something like 3 years or so if I recall. As soon as Dear Leader Steve returned in the late 1990s… eWorld was quickly shut down.

 

[2457282]

If Google is able to build a virtual network across both sprint and T-Mobile then it could be possible to get better coverage since there would be overlapping towers in many areas. I just don't know how that would be done. But again, if possible, this could be good for consumers as it could potentially provide a strong network. The question of course would be price and features then.

I am not a fan of Google collecting so much data about me and I would worry how this would impact their ability to track me even more. So that would be bad. Hopefully this does drive competition and brings costs down accross the industry.

 

[unplugme71]

Not really a big deal that MR is making this out to be. Let's remember there ARE already five bazillion little "wireless carriers" who actually don't own their own network, but rather they borrow the bandwidth and infrastructure from existing BIG networks like T-Mobile and Verizon.

Google is not doing anything special that hundreds of other companies have not already done.

If anything… Google is somewhat STUPID to do this, because wireless and cable networks are among the most HATED brands in the entire planet. They have to deal with millions of hateful and dissatisfied customers every single day, 365 days a year. This is a huge risk for Google. If there are network problems beyond Google's control, it is the Google Carrier Brand that will suffer from backlash and customer complaints.

Google is already a household brand name, so doing this to "grow" their brand is not a smart way to grow the brand. In fact, it's a very risky way to grow the brand, because as I said…. being in the carrier/network industry is risking to make your brand a hated one.

----------



It will be called Screwgled.

You are assuming Google will follow how existing companies are. That's not Google. They provide reliable gigabit speeds for $69/mo. TWC offers 100Mb for that price with 5Mb uplink. Google provides chat and email support but responds quickly.

If this holds true, we should see improved data plans with googles financial backing to boost network speed rollout so we could get 20Mb speeds everywhere reliably. Even with LTE on ATT it's rare to get over 9Mb

 

[ks-man]

Some day apple and google will take over the world....With all of their innovations

Not sure if that list bit meant to be sarcasm but in case it wasn't...people said the same thing about Microsoft and IBM before that. A lot can change in a decade or two. Just think about where Apple was 15 years ago.

 

[Jess13]

Great! Now you have to register on Google+ to make phone calls...

It's Google# and has to be set up using landline.

 

[Stella]

If they were to become a carrier, they could offer fantastic perks that nobody else does, and also make wireless communications more affordable and accessible to all.

You'd only be able to use applicable Apple products... Android devices would definitely be unsupported.

Yup, accessible to those with an Apple product.

 

[samcraig]

Another reason for Google wanting to do this is to further move their phones (at least their Google Play Edition devices) more mainstream and be able to control the entire experience. Right now - people who want pure Android have to pay more for that privilege. Yes some phones are not too much what you would pay for a subsidized phone. But with Google as a carrier, they will most likely sell more pure Android phones. And I would guess that they would be subsidized.

 

[Terrin]

Google bought into the two carriers that have the worst U.S. coverage. I wonder if part of their deal will be to use their technology to expand their coverage (whether its floating balloons or whatever). Obviously, Sprint and T-Mobile haven't built out as many towers as AT&T and Verizon. Maybe this is one way to fix that in a more innovative way.

T-Mobile's data service is second only to AT&T, and this is only marginally. Sprint's, well that is a different story.

Further, in many areas of the country T-Mobile and even perhaps Sprint have better voice service. When people say Verizon and ATT have the best service they mean their signals are the strongest in more places across the Country. However, if you live in one of the many areas that T-Mobile or sprint have good coverage and you don't travel a lot, who cares that the other carriers may have better coverage in other areas?

Google will offer the service I bet in areas where those carriers have good service, and in the process make those carriers money perhaps to improve the service in other areas.

This would be a dumb move for Apple because it sells phones on all the carriers. Google doesn't have that problem.

 

[iapplelove]

It sounds crazy now but Apple and Goolge are stockpiling BILLIONS. It's really not a crazy notion to think one day 10 years from now they also could be controlling cellular networks, how we get cable, telephone who knows what else.

 

[Even Longer]

Google:

"now dear customer, we are not just aware of what you search for, but finally of what you're talking about".

 

[CoMoMacUser]

Two wrongs don't make a right.

 

[NewbieCanada]

How is it Google can do this stuff, but the almost $1 TRILLION dollar Apple Inc. can't buy a Time Warner or FiOS or Comcast and get their "hobby" into hundreds of millions of homes?

Perhaps Apple's investment strategy isn't yours and it's not a matter of "can't" so much as "have no interest in doing so."

And Google isn't doing much of anything. They're signing up to resell someone else's service under their own name. They aren't buying the companies

----------

If they were to become a carrier, they could offer fantastic perks that nobody else does, and also make wireless communications more affordable and accessible to all.

Yeah, Apple is all about making things more affordable.

 

[BCWorld]

Google is taking over! WOW!

 

[xdigi]

Google Wireless: Leeching off of the two worst networks from a company known for harvesting your data who has a terrible record of not providing customer support.

WHERE DO I SIGN UP?

Also, good luck trying to use an iPhone on this network.

Sprint has been struggling lately, why didn't google just buy them and turn make it their own service. By reselling time on the sprint network they have limited influence on how sprint manages the network and at the same time helps sprint build their business.

Because they're dumb but not stupid.

 

[PS8409]

I suspect it is also a way for them to collect more information about your telephone calls to tie to your Google ID. Do you really want all information on your telecommunications, internet access, advertising response, and purchases held by one company? Who needs the NSA to collect all that information when you willingly give it to a single company that has to comply with secret-court-order demands for your records?

Watched a documentary on that. Basically all major phone companies comply and even if they don't the NSA goes behind their back and robs the info anyway.

 

[kmichalec]

Not really a big deal that MR is making this out to be. Let's remember there ARE already five bazillion little "wireless carriers" who actually don't own their own network, but rather they borrow the bandwidth and infrastructure from existing BIG networks like T-Mobile and Verizon.

Google is not doing anything special that hundreds of other companies have not already done.

Actually, this could be a big deal, if Google allows you to use either network (TMob or Sprint) in any area, depending on which coverage is stronger. It would require phones that support both CDMA and GSM, but this could be a big deal. I can't recall any other MVNO's that use two different networks, and let you bounce between them. I think it depends on how they implement the agreement and structure with both operators.

 

[cameronjpu]

If this holds true, we should see improved data plans with googles financial backing to boost network speed rollout so we could get 20Mb speeds everywhere reliably. Even with LTE on ATT it's rare to get over 9Mb

Lol. In my basement here in bed with three bars out of five on att I get 23 mb.

 

[billystlyes]

Love Google!

 

[rdlink]

21st century, time when data speeds matters instead of coverage

I kind of don't understand the logic in that statement. What good does it do me to have fast data speed if I can't get a signal because there's not a tower near me?

Having said that, I am getting increasingly frustrated with VZW's spotty service in the Denver metro area on "The Nations Best Network." If it weren't for better mountain coverage I would be using TMO.

 

[bozzykid]

Actually, this could be a big deal, if Google allows you to use either network (TMob or Sprint) in any area, depending on which coverage is stronger. It would require phones that support both CDMA and GSM, but this could be a big deal. I can't recall any other MVNO's that use two different networks, and let you bounce between them. I think it depends on how they implement the agreement and structure with both operators.

Or it may just be lte only on Sprint so it wouldn't require cdma support. We have no details so who knows at this point.

 

[Bearxor]

Sprint has been struggling lately, why didn't google just buy them and turn make it their own service. By reselling time on the sprint network they have limited influence on how sprint manages the network and at the same time helps sprint build their business.

Sprint was just bought. Like eight months ago. They just hired a new CEO five months ago.