Windows Phones on Google carrier

[HoosierDaddy]

You may know that Google is going to become a carrier:

Google confirms carrier plans, details coming soon | InfoWorld

Does anyone know if they will be selling Windows Phones or will I have to bring my own if I switch?

 

[Lee Power]

Ive more chance of winning the Lotto jackpot then Google selling a Windows phone. FYI I haven't bought a Lotto ticket in over 10 years

 

[RumoredNow]

I'm not sure why you want to have a Windows Phone on a Google-centric mvno that will be designed to deliver Android content and sniff every bit of your data...

 

[Lee Power]

Wouldn't be surprised if Google found some way of making there network provider service unappealing to Windows phone users.

 

[AndyCalling]

Wouldn't be surprised if Google found some way of making there network provider service unappealing to Windows phone users.

Easily done, make it available in the US only! Since there are negligible numbers of US WP owners, that alone would pretty much completely ban WP from their network.

Can you imagine signing up to a Google phone or isp service? Your phone calls and all internet usage would be sold to the highest bidder! No chance. I'm staying well away.

 

[theefman]

Just need google hospitals, policemen, military, funeral services and they have you from the day you are born till the day you die!

 

[AndyCalling]

Wouldn't it be easier for the US govt. to privatise their intelligence services and outsource such to Google? Since they already have all the data it would be an immense cost saving for the US public. Maggie would have convinced Raygun to do it.

 

[matty032]

I thought part of the draw of windows phone was to avoid google? I know it was on my part. As long as windows phone is available, If MS gave up and I had to choose between google, and apple, I would probably pick google, though. I hate apple even more...

 

[xandros9]

Google's entry would be an interesting plot twist of sorts.

I'm torn, on one hand, I think they'll do a great job shaking up the mobile sector, perhaps better than T-Mobile.
On the other, we've seen its less-than-angelic side.

If its GSM i don't know if they're really care whats on it. Maybe a bonus for Android phones?

 

[hotphil]

They might do something to shake up the US industry. Cheap/free plans that include special Androids with immovable ads and all sorts of clauses about requiring a Google account and permission to pump you for data would be my guess.
They'll get a lot of traffic, no doubt.
Thankfully, I'm in a territory with smarter consumers.

 

[plot_almighty]

I did a double take to make sure the title wasn't a typo. There's zero chance Google will support WP on its MVNO. If by some miracle they DO work on its network, I stand almost assured that the only store that will work is the Google Play store. Im almost positive its going to be darn near exclusive for Android powered phones and Google powered hardware.

 

[etphoto]

Rest assured other carriers will start using the new technology soon enough. Hopefully, Google's entry will force other carriers to drop prices.

 

[tgp]

I've heard that the phones on Google's service might have some kind of feature where they use WiFi when available, kind of like Republic Wireless does. That would require only approved phones. Now, they might provide an app for the functionality that can be installed on any Android phone, but that would automatically restrict it to Android.

Disclaimer: all of the above is rumor. Take it for what it's worth.

 

[a5cent]

I did a double take to make sure the title wasn't a typo. There's zero chance Google will support WP on its MVNO.

I wouldn't be so sure about that. If Google also controls the network, they technically gain access to every bit of data you send across it, whether it originates from a Google app/service or not.
That would be the most comprehensive and effective way to datamine every last bit of information exchanged between your phone and the internet. IMHO Google would be stupid not to allow WP devices on their network.

A) They'd be seen as being open to competitor's devices, which would make them look like the good guys.

B) They'd gain access to practically any data that is relevant to them (guess who'd start listening in on your Bing searches).

C) They'd get all the data they could dream of without having to develop even a single app for WP.

D) On top of all that, they'd get WP users to pay them for those "services".

IMHO Google has nothing to lose and everything to gain by playing carrier for WP users.

 

[plot_almighty]

I wouldn't be so sure about that. If Google also controls the network, they technically gain access to every bit of data you send across it, whether it originates from a Google app/service or not.
That would be the most comprehensive and effective way to datamine every last bit of information exchanged between your phone and the internet. IMHO Google would be stupid not to allow WP devices on their network.

A) They'd be seen as being open to competitor's devices, which would make them look like the good guys.

B) They'd gain access to practically any data that is relevant to them (guess who'd start listening in on your Bing searches).

C) They'd get all the data they could dream of without having to develop even a single app for WP.

D) On top of all that, they'd get WP users to pay them for those "services".

IMHO Google has nothing to lose and everything to gain by playing carrier for WP users.

The flipside of that coin are WP users and Microsoft going ape **** over having their data packets mined, harvested, or otherwise illegally used on that kind of network. Don't forget government agencies are under fire for precisely the activities you're listing under B and C.

 

[tgp]

The flipside of that coin are WP users and Microsoft going ape **** over having their data packets mined, harvested, or otherwise illegally used on that kind of network. Don't forget government agencies are under fire for precisely the activities you're listing under B and C.

I don't think a couple hundred WP users who are active on WC are going to make a difference to Google. I say that because I think you're assuming that every WP user is like the average WP user on this forum. I think you're giving too much credit. The average cell phone user, no matter the platform, is going to care. Carriers have been openly harvesting data for years, and yet we continue to use them, running more and more data through their towers. If we knew what was actually going on behind the server farm doors of all of the carriers, as well as Microsoft, Apple, and Google, we'd probably consider a string and two tin cans. :grincry:

Has there yet been any case made public where a large company like Google or AT&T has been caught abusing the data they hold? I can't think of any. Actually I can think of one (that turned out to be mostly blown out of proportion): when Microsoft was accused of spying on an employee by "reading" his emails, and disciplining him based on what they found.

Few people care about that kind of privacy at this point. We're more worried about the NSA, and hackers. Even so, companies like Target and Home Depot get put in the spotlight for leaking credit card info, and yet we continue to facilitate them as if nothing happened.

In short, we don't care.

 

[a5cent]

The flipside of that coin are WP users and Microsoft going ape **** over having their data packets mined, harvested, or otherwise illegally used on that kind of network. Don't forget government agencies are under fire for precisely the activities you're listing under B and C.

I think this is a different situation. Nobody would force us to use that carrier, nor would anybody be using our data in a way we didn't already agree to (like the NSA does). Google wouldn't be doing anything they aren't already doing.

They just need to state the facts in their ToS. How many do you think would gladly give up more of their privacy in exchange for somewhat cheaper monthly service bills?

Surely that would all be in the small print on the back of the agreement, but if its all out in the open, how would that be illegal? How is that any different from today?
It sounds perfectly fine to me, but I admit I'm not a lawyer.

 

[plot_almighty]

Im in no legit position to argue either of you on the points you two make. Most, if not all users, myself included, don't take the time to read a EULA or ToS. So that, if from any others, supports the "don't care" point.

Im extremely biased against Google and everything they do, and I have immediate snarky and negative, unsupported, and uninformed comments on auto reply to any and all moves they make. They turn my stomach as a company. I sincerely hope the contract they signed with Satan for mobile dominance comes due really soon.

However my take on all this is limited to my own perspective. Thanks for keeping it unbiased in the areas I couldn't.

 

[a5cent]

^ I think what I've described leads to a far more "questionable" outcome, than a Google that just refuses service to WP users.

Your thoughts may just not have been "sinister" enough

 

[kg4icg]

Google isn't becoming a carrier in the normal since, they are becoming a MNVO which means they are piggy backing on Sprint and TMobile. So this is nothing really to become excited about. For those that don't know what MNVO is, Mobile Network Virtual Operator.