Business Standard

Soon, Google wireless network for your mobile!

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IANS New York

Not happy with the current network providers to your mobile phone? You might soon get a better option - Google!

After providing the world's most popular phone software and offering one of the fastest broadband speeds in the US, Google is now planning to become your mobile network operator.

According to reports in the US media, Google has plans for its own wireless network that customers could use to make calls, send texts and browse the web on their mobiles.

Instead of building masts, however, Google is in talks to buy access to existing 3G and 4G networks at wholesale prices, and sell the connectivity back to customers at a cheaper rate.

 

In that case, Google would be a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO).

A mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) is a company that offers mobile service plans using existing networks.

MVNOs do not own the infrastructure the networks are built on.

Instead, they buy access to parts of these networks at wholesale prices.

An MVNO is typically run as an independent company, with its own staff and customer service.

The plans would mean Google could cement itself as an internet service provider, and the mobile network would complement its Google Fibre broadband, reports added.

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First Published: Apr 05 2014 | 4:24 PM IST

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