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posted by LaminatorX on Wednesday April 08 2015, @01:08AM   Printer-friendly
from the informations-sans-frontières dept.

Wired had a story Sunday where they make the case that, between it's own wireless service and current negotiations with phone companies that would let customers move its service and international cellular networks at no extra cost, Google is doing its best to keep users locked into its network:

...you'd be able to travel across the US, the UK, Italy, Hong Hong, and Sri Lanka while paying the same fees for calls, text, and data—an attractive option for anyone who's ever carried a phone overseas. Carriers tend to charge inflated rates for this kind of "roaming," forcing you to think twice about using your phone at all while traveling. "Roaming fees in Europe and Asia can kill you," says Richard Doherty, an analyst with New York-based research firm Envisioneering.

...Google said it doesn’t comment on "rumor or speculation." But the report fits nicely with what we already know about Google's plans for its unconventional wireless service. Google appears to be envisioning a wireless world where we can move effortlessly from one wireless network to another, making it easier for us to stay online.

Of course that just means more ad revenue for Google:

The more you're online, the more you'll use Google's search engine and other apps—and the more the company can serve you ads. "Google needs reach," Doherty says. And what better way to extend that reach than by offering what so many of us want: ready access to the internet at all times?

Having just opened my wireless bill that included a recent week spent in Cancun, Mexico I can personally attest that roaming charges hurt not just in Europe and Asia.

 
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  • (Score: 2) by c0lo on Wednesday April 08 2015, @02:38AM

    by c0lo (156) Subscriber Badge on Wednesday April 08 2015, @02:38AM (#167699) Journal

    This is all fine and dandy, but I don't see Google wireless phone service being a big hit with the caliber of customer that would regularly travel internationally.

    What about those once-a-year-vacationers? Seems like they have money too, some trillion even [wikipedia.org].

    (just in case you didn't know - there are places in this worlds where the paid annual leave minimum entitlement [wikipedia.org] is a reality;
    in this regards, the USofA shares the good company of India, Kiribati, Liberia, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Pakistan, Palau, Sri Lanka and Tonga, all with exactly 0 - zero - statutory minimum employment leave)

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  • (Score: 2, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday April 08 2015, @03:00AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday April 08 2015, @03:00AM (#167708)

    This kind of repetitive, sophomoric, off-topic US bashing really brings this site down. It sticks out like a HUGE chip on your shoulder borne out of feelings of inferiority or something.

    • (Score: 2) by c0lo on Wednesday April 08 2015, @03:48AM

      by c0lo (156) Subscriber Badge on Wednesday April 08 2015, @03:48AM (#167718) Journal

      This kind of repetitive, sophomoric, off-topic US bashing really brings this site down.

      Well, Ok. Contribute an explanation on why GP focuses on "the caliber of customer that would regularly travel internationally".
      It's like... what? Tourism doesn't matter?

      --
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday April 08 2015, @03:51AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday April 08 2015, @03:51AM (#167721)

      It sticks out like a HUGE chip on your shoulder borne out of feelings of inferiority or something.

      (and your dick's showing through the fly and t's quite small. Whatsamatta, boy, can't take a bit of bashing?)

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday April 08 2015, @04:49AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday April 08 2015, @04:49AM (#167731)

      This kind of repetitive, sophomoric, off-topic US bashing really brings this site down.

      No, it isn't, you ugly American! Really, how could anyone bash the only country to invade another since WWII? Yes, it was actually a client state, and they had to rein in Ol' Saddam, but really, Americans complaining about being bashed is like Nazis complaining about Nuremberg (the Tribunals, not the Rallies). Do you get this? And it is not this site, it is the world. So suck it up, Americans, and apologize to the rest of the world, before it is too late.

      • (Score: 2) by c0lo on Wednesday April 08 2015, @05:44AM

        by c0lo (156) Subscriber Badge on Wednesday April 08 2015, @05:44AM (#167747) Journal
        'Ey, a little bit harsh. I think some commiseration for the lack of statutory annual leave would be more appropriate.
        --
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
      • (Score: 1) by rondon on Wednesday April 08 2015, @02:16PM

        by rondon (5167) on Wednesday April 08 2015, @02:16PM (#167845)

        I don't think this is true... The Daily Mail is reporting that Russia invaded Georgia today, actually.

        I don't claim to know the veracity of that report, but it makes your brazen statement seem the lie.

        • (Score: 2) by Yog-Yogguth on Monday April 13 2015, @04:01PM

          by Yog-Yogguth (1862) Subscriber Badge on Monday April 13 2015, @04:01PM (#169776) Journal

          Yeah “actually” not.

          You're as bad at picking examples as whoever you're replying to :)

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      • (Score: 1) by dboz87 on Wednesday April 08 2015, @05:44PM

        by dboz87 (1285) on Wednesday April 08 2015, @05:44PM (#167915)

        So, I guess Iraq never invaded Kuwait?

  • (Score: 2) by goody on Wednesday April 08 2015, @04:56PM

    by goody (2135) on Wednesday April 08 2015, @04:56PM (#167901)

    Would you switch your phone carrier for a once-a-year vacation so you could save money on data roaming? I certainly wouldn't, especially for one in the US that is an MVNO to boot. Paid annual leave still doesn't pay for international travel or make you a frequent world travel. It still takes some decent income to do it. Arguably if you're dependent on paid annual leave entitlements, you're not a wealthy world travel.

    • (Score: 2) by c0lo on Wednesday April 08 2015, @08:12PM

      by c0lo (156) Subscriber Badge on Wednesday April 08 2015, @08:12PM (#167974) Journal
      It's not about the money for data roaming, it's about the time available to travel as an international tourist while being sure the everyday bills at home still get paid.
      I might be wrong but, searching for an answer as to why the GP didn't think the once-a-year-holidaty-tourists are a significant target demographic, the only hypothesis I could come is that the Americans don't have time to consider spending their vacations overseas. By all means, please correct me if I'm wrong, any insight in the issue will be welcomed.
      --
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
      • (Score: 2) by goody on Thursday April 09 2015, @02:43AM

        by goody (2135) on Thursday April 09 2015, @02:43AM (#168123)

        I get 15 paid days off a year, plus holidays. I could easily go to Europe in that amount of time. I don't. Cost is one factor, but some of it is there's just plenty to do here in the US on vacation and if I'm going out of the states I'd just as well go to Canada. I can use Verizon or AT&T in Canada and Europe fairly easily, and for some extra, but not outrageous additional cost (I've looked into it). But I digress. Maybe things are different in your neck of the woods, but I can guarantee you anyone here in the US who has the means to "travel across the US, the UK, Italy, Hong Hong, and Sri Lanka" as the article mentions is not going to be interested in an MVNO new kid on the block, even if the carrier is Google.

        • (Score: 2) by c0lo on Thursday April 09 2015, @03:04AM

          by c0lo (156) Subscriber Badge on Thursday April 09 2015, @03:04AM (#168134) Journal

          but I can guarantee you anyone here in the US who has the means to "travel across the US, the UK, Italy, Hong Hong, and Sri Lanka" as the article mentions is not going to be interested [...]

          Well, I think there's one-word mistake in the above to be corrected for the entire phrase to make a good business case for "flat-fee roaming". Let me see what I can do:

          but I can guarantee you anyone here in the US who has the means to "travel across the US, the UK, Italy, Hong Hong, or Sri Lanka" as the article mentions

          You still think it doesn't make business sense and there is no target demographic for it?

          --
          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford