Google’s Impact on the Wireless Internet

Google’s Impact on the Wireless Internet

In case you missed the announcement last week, Google has tossed it’s hat into the ring for the last remaining commercially viable wireless spectrum in the US. The 700MHz spectrum was used to provide analog TV service and becomes available to the highest bidder on January 24th, 2008. The impact of Google’s announcement is yet unknown, but should prove to be very important in the long run.

Some interesting datapoints:

• From Wikipedia - Several countries, including the UK, now have more mobile phones than people. There are over five hundred million active mobile phone accounts in China, as of 2007. Luxembourg has the highest mobile phone penetration rate in the world, at 164% in December 2001. In Hong Kong the penetration rate reached 139.8% of the population in July 2007. The total number of mobile phone subscribers in the world was estimated at 2.14 billion in 2005. The subscriber count reached 2.7 billion by end of 2006 according to Informa[citation needed], and 3.3 billion by November, 2007, thus reaching an equivalent of over half the planet's population. Around 80% of the world's population enjoys mobile phone coverage as of 2006. This figure is expected to increase to 90% by the year 2010.

http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm

Now allow me to pluck the germane data from the above for my point. Phone = 3.3 BILLION - Computers = 1.25 Billion. Google already enjoys dominance for eyes in the computer space, and if they are as successful on wireless phones as they are with PCs, watch out world!

The problem Google currently has with wireless devices, especially in the US, is the locked-down nature of the device to the wireless network operator. It’s actually a sad commentary that Google has to forge ahead with buying spectrum, but it makes all the sense in the world. Boy is it interesting watching the impacts to the industry. Check out Verizon Wireless’ announcement about opening up their network to devices. Don’t think for a second that these two announcements are unrelated. They couldn’t be more tied to the hip.

All this guy has to say is, “Good on ya, Google!”

Adam “voiploser” Uzelac
DISCLAIMER: The comments here are mine only. They don’t necessarily reflect intelligence, refined thoughts, or anything that the reader should take too seriously. Should the reader expect a polished thought process in the content addressed here, then a strong dose of medication should be prescribed to address that misconception.