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07-04-2015, 12:42 PM
Google's Wireless Service Could Come With Free International Roaming
Yes, Google wants to be a wireless carrier. Not to take the whole world by storm (yet), but to push the limits of what wireless carriers do. The latest possible perk? Service outside the US at no additional cost.
According to reports from The Telegraph, Google's in talks with the UK carrier Three so that its upcoming service will be able to offer voice, text, and data to Americans traveling abroad at no additional charge and without the trouble of switching SIMs or getting a local plan.
Sounds great, right? You bet, but there are a few potential catches. Who knows if these talks are any more widespread than with just one carrier in the UK. And besides, Google's already been pretty clear this is just a teeny ***** pilot project, and it could even be constrained to Nexus 6 owners only. You might be hard-pressed to get in on the fun.
Still, one of the biggest, most annoying, and most unavoidable annoyances of traveling is figuring out what stupid contractual hoops you'll have to jump through to ensure that your all-knowing pocket supercomputer will continue to allow you access to the entirety of recorded human knowledge without charging you like a bajillion dollars on the sly. And if Google can show that it's possible, that could put pressure on other, bigger providers to step up their game. After all, Google Fiber got Comcast to (at least promise that it's going to) roll out 2 Gbps internet. Here's to hoping SIM-swapping days could be over soon. [The Telegraph]
Yes, Google wants to be a wireless carrier. Not to take the whole world by storm (yet), but to push the limits of what wireless carriers do. The latest possible perk? Service outside the US at no additional cost.
According to reports from The Telegraph, Google's in talks with the UK carrier Three so that its upcoming service will be able to offer voice, text, and data to Americans traveling abroad at no additional charge and without the trouble of switching SIMs or getting a local plan.
Sounds great, right? You bet, but there are a few potential catches. Who knows if these talks are any more widespread than with just one carrier in the UK. And besides, Google's already been pretty clear this is just a teeny ***** pilot project, and it could even be constrained to Nexus 6 owners only. You might be hard-pressed to get in on the fun.
Still, one of the biggest, most annoying, and most unavoidable annoyances of traveling is figuring out what stupid contractual hoops you'll have to jump through to ensure that your all-knowing pocket supercomputer will continue to allow you access to the entirety of recorded human knowledge without charging you like a bajillion dollars on the sly. And if Google can show that it's possible, that could put pressure on other, bigger providers to step up their game. After all, Google Fiber got Comcast to (at least promise that it's going to) roll out 2 Gbps internet. Here's to hoping SIM-swapping days could be over soon. [The Telegraph]
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