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EU Carriers To Google, Apple: Time To Pay For Data

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Thanks in part to smart phones like the iPhone and Android, carriers across Europe are straining to meet demands.

Despite the fact that they are charging smartphone users more money than the average feature phone (aka dumb phone), apparently it isn’t enough to sustain their networks.

Unfortunately it seems as if they’ve set their sites upon two tech giants with plenty of cash to spare.

As mobile and Web companies add videos, music and games, operators including France Telecom SA, Telecom Italia SpA and Vodafone Group Plc want a new deal that would require content providers like Apple and Google to pay fees linked to usage. […]

Richard, who addressed the issue at the “Le Web” conference in Paris today, has joined Telecom Italia CEO Franco Bernabe and Telefonica SA CEO Cesar Alierta in what could turn into a cold war with Web companies. As more consumers access the Internet on mobile devices, the cost of building bigger networks may outstrip revenue growth for wireless operators, slicing their return on investment. (Bloomberg)

Forcing Google and Apple to pay would obviously be bad business as it would only drive up the costs of the devices themselves as Apple will pass on the costs to the customer (forcing Google to pay would be harder since they give Android away for free).

What’s worrisome is that if carriers are able to force tech giants to pay for infrastructure improvements, then it might inspire American carriers to do something similar now that net neutrality is dead in all but name only.

If supporting data hogging users is expensive, carriers need to simply charge those data hogging users more money instead of collectively punishing everyone else instead.

Image Credit: TiPB, Hat Tip: Daring Fireball

Originally posted on December 8, 2010 @ 3:14 pm

Google Preaches Purity With Google Nexus S

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After debuting Nexus One many months ago, the boys and girls at Google have unveiled Nexus S, which was created with the help of Samsung.

Despite the variety of Android devices available, it looks like Google is publicly frowning upon the custom UI screens that made HTC Android devices famous and is instead pushing for something more uniform.

Nexus S is the lead device for the Gingerbread/Android 2.3 release; it’s the first Android device to ship with the new version of the Android platform. We co-developed this product with Samsung—ensuring tight integration of hardware and software to highlight the latest advancements of the Android platform. As part of the Nexus brand, Nexus S delivers what we call a “pure Google” experience: unlocked, unfiltered access to the best Google mobile services and the latest and greatest Android releases and updates. (Google Mobile Blog) [Read more…]

Originally posted on December 6, 2010 @ 3:34 pm

Is Google Voice Trying To Starve Out Skype In 2011?

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Despite launching Google Voice within Gmail, Google is still playing second fiddle to the VoIP king (aka Skype).

While Google has yet to launch a full fledged VoIP client of their own (as Google Voice currently lacks a softphone client), the search engine giant has decided to decline charging US users in 2011 for contacting numbers within America.

When we launched calling in Gmail back in August, we wanted it to be easy and affordable, so we made calls to the U.S. and Canada free for the rest of 2010. In the spirit of holiday giving and to help people keep in touch in the new year, we’re extending free calling for all of 2011.

In case you haven’t tried it yet, dialing a phone number works just like a regular phone. Look for “Call phone” at the top of your Gmail chat list and dial a number or enter a contact’s name. (Google Voice Blog)

Currently Skype (as well as other VoIP companies) provide users with unlimited calling through annual premium plans which allow them to call mobile devices or landlines without paying for usage by the minute.

Although Skype does have a few advantages over its smaller rival (multi-video chat, Facebook integration, etc.), competing against a quality free service will be difficult to for Skype, especially considering the fact that Google has very deep pockets.

While Google Voice is obviously sacrificing short term profits for growth, 2011 could be the year that Google dethrones Skype in America, helping the search engine giant compete against the VoIP king later on upon the global stage.

Originally posted on December 20, 2010 @ 4:01 pm

Google To Governments: No Internet “Monopoly” Please

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The search engine giant is apparently not thrilled over who will control the future outlook of the world wide web.

While Google does not have a problem with a committee or group having a large amount of influence regarding the internet, they are taking issue over the requirements of exactly who will be sitting at the table.

But last week the UN Committee on Science and Technology announced that only governments would be able to sit on a working group set up to examine improvements to the IGF—one of the Internet’s most important discussion forums. This move has been condemned by the Internet Governance Caucus, the Internet Society (ISOC), the International Chamber of Commerce and numerous other organizations—who have published a joint letter (PDF) and launched an online petition to mobilize opposition. Today, I have signed that petition on Google’s behalf because we don’t believe governments should be allowed to grant themselves a monopoly on Internet governance. The current bottoms-up, open approach works—protecting users from vested interests and enabling rapid innovation. (Google Public Policy Blog)

In a post written by Vint Cerf (one of the founding fathers of the Internet), Google seems to be advocating that corporations also have a voice at the table in order to ensure that the internet remains a free place for all.

While it does seem strange for the global governments to lock out corporate entities from joining the Internet Governance Forum (IGF), it could have something to do with Wikileaks whose presence seems to have infuriated the US government (who has been unable to shut them down).

Although having the IGF being composed of just corporations would not be smart (as they would always vote what’s best for their stock holders), one held only by governments could help pave the way towards an Internet with less freedom (especially when it comes to exposing corruption).

Originally posted on December 17, 2010 @ 5:09 pm