IP Convergence: Beyond VoIP, Beyond Cost Savings

A report in the Washington Post describes Google founder Sergey Brin's effort at lobbying Congress on the pending telecommunications legislation. While the details of Sergey's visit are interesting, what is truly interesting for Google's investors is the fact that Google doesn't understand one of its main competitive threats - the phone companies - as evidenced by this quote :

“We are doing the best we can. I think we are putting in a pretty good effort, but we don't have, you know, 30 or 100 years, or however long telcos have been lobbying Congress."

If you don’t know how long telcos have been lobbying Congress (120 years) then maybe you shouldn’t stake your company’s future on legislation they oppose. And this is the point I have been making throughout this net neutrality debate. Google is exceptional at search technology and proving adept at a host of other efforts in cyberspace. But in Washington they are amateurs and out of their league.

So why take on the telcos in Washington? Why not take on the telcos in your natural element – cyberspace? Google is the 800 pound gorilla in cyberspace and there are a number of independent Tier 1 Internet backbone providers (including Global Crossing) that Google could work with to counter any actions the telcos could take in cyberspace.

Google investors would be better served if Google executives spent more time learning about their competition and working with independent telcos than wandering the halls of Congress.