Google / Motorola Afterthought
People have been saying Apple is the only company capable of forcing wireless carriers (MNOs) to decouple phones (terminals) and phone numbers from network access contracts. The truth is now Google is the other one. Commanding a huge user base, owning the Android OS, the Google Voice service, and now owning a mobile hardware division, Google definitely is in a position to release a decoupled device, with multiple physical, or even a virtualized SIM card slots. It would have a phone number associated with the Google account (not with a SIM card). And would use any network to complete calls.
I have a feeling the GSMA is today, where the record labels were, when the first iPod was released and MP3 took the world by storm. SIM cards in 2011 are, where CDs were in 2001. Obsolete products of the old era.
Interesting
ReplyDeleteDoesn't the GSM tradional ownership of "towers" represent some kind of barrier to this?
or would any phone with "internet access" be enough, so all Googorola phones would in fact be a bit like Skype phones?
I already used my 3G Ipad to make Skype Out calls, quite successfully..when not in a hot spot, using the Skype App. talking through an Ipad looks weird, but I needed it.
regards
Hi Richard,
ReplyDeleteSkype is a perfect example here. Actually I intentionally omitted it in the original post, hoping someone wold bring it up :-) And here you come :-)
When you place a call using Skype, your (or SkypeIn number, if you have one) does not have anything to do with a network (or networks, to be precise), your call goes through...
Gilder's call to separate content from conduit applies here too. Networks should care about the widest coverage and best quality / throughput, and never about content payload. Service providers should provide services, not limiting their subscribers to any particular access method. SMSes should workover WiFi (as they do when you use Skype:-) and your voice provider shoud use any towers to deliver the bitstream to your ear...
So finally MNOs will have to choose whether they want to be networks (towers, frequency bands, backhaul...), or service providers (voice, video, messaging, numbering, addressing,...).
The second paragraph shoud be
ReplyDeleteWhen you place a call using Skype, your ID (or SkypeIn number, if you have one) does not have anything to do with a network (or networks, to be precise), your call goes through...