Google and Dish Network allegedly in talks for new wireless service

[Scott Greczkowski]

[h=1] [/h] [h=1]Google and Dish Network allegedly in talks for new wireless service[/h]
[h=2]The two powerhouses could join forces to offer cellular and internet services.[/h] by Florence Ion - Nov 15 2012, 9:40pm EST


Google and Dish Network are reportedly in talks to partner up for a new wireless service to contend against market competitors like Verizon Wireless and AT&T, according to the Wall Street Journal. The wireless service would extend to both cellular and Internet connections.


Dish Chairman Charlie Ergen declined to comment on any involvement with Google to the WSJ, but he did mention his company is in talks to partner up with others "who would like to be in the industry" and aren't currently. Ergen added it would be easier to partner with a company that already has the wireless infrastructure in place in order to transmit all of that data. Google certainly fits the bill.


This news hot on the heels of the recent developments in Google’s own expansion of its fiber-optic Internet services, beginning in Kansas City, KS. Google hopes to eventually expand the lightning fast connection to the rest of the country, but it has limited wireless options in a market saturated by the big four telecom companies. The search giant must somehow gain more access to wireless spectrum so it can increase Web traffic speeds in a push to get users to integrate more fully with the Google ecosystem.

Read the rest at http://arstechnica.com/business/201...-allegedly-in-talks-for-new-wireless-service/

 

[TroubleshooterMike]

This is shocking news but makes complete sense as dish network has been whispering ideas about also becoming a cell provider... Hope to hear more as this progresses. Oh and FIRST!! Haha :high5:

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

This one is from the WSJ.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324735104578121553147711538.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

 

[riffjim4069]

What do you get when you partner Google with Dish Network? Google TV. Seriously, if they can offer unlimited mobile/data for $59.99 a month then I'm interested. Otherwise, these talks will never get off the ground; there are too many barriers to market entry and the profit margins are too slim for a new entrant to complete with Verizon, AT&T and Sprint. We shall see.

 

[KAB]

This is shocking news but makes complete sense as dish network has been whispering ideas about also becoming a cell provider... Hope to hear more as this progresses. Oh and FIRST!! Haha :high5:

Not so shocking. That's why Charlie has been buying all the licenses.

 

[PTVC]

What do you get when you partner Google with Dish Network? Google TV. Seriously, if they can offer unlimited mobile/data for $59.99 a month then I'm interested. Otherwise, these talks will never get off the ground; there are too many barriers to market entry and the profit margins are too slim for a new entrant to complete with Verizon, AT&T and Sprint. We shall see.

I always had the impression Charlie was more interested in mobile for the streaming aspect.

 

[Mike_H]

there are too many barriers to market entry and the profit margins are too slim for a new entrant to complete with Verizon, AT&T and Sprint.

I disagree, I do not believe that the market entry is tough if you are a company that can afford it. The largest difficulty is the frequency's, which Dish has been gobbling up. With the way Verizon and AT&T have been just sitting back and writing their own checks off the backs of their customers, they have left the market ripe for a new entrant. Especially one that won't blanch at the hardball that the established players will attempt.

 

[TheKrell]

there are too many barriers to market entry and the profit margins are too slim for a new entrant to complete with Verizon, AT&T and Sprint.

I thought Verizon and AT&T were making money hand over fist! How can profit margins be slim?

 

[Teehar]

Now thats a partnership I wouldn't have any objections to.

 

[gpflepsen]

There's something uneasy about the term "the Google ecosystem". I already find stuff integrated that I have no intention or want, like Facebook accounts being tied to other android apps, google plus trying to tie everything together, and many more.

I'd like to see some high speed wireless offerings in my area. Verizon falls short and I doubt they will ever make the investemt to completely color my area of the map red, let alone get me to 4G.

 

[mloebl]

Interesting, these guys are talking like it's already pretty much a done deal:
http://9to5google.com/2012/11/16/go...-is-a-go-plans-for-2013-launch-being-hatched/

 

[Neutron]

I doubt you would see the new wireless provider offer the iPhone or Windows Mobile....

 

[mloebl]

I doubt you would see the new wireless provider offer the iPhone or Windows Mobile....

Well makes me wonder... if they are doing VoIP with Google Voice... does it really matter what the phone is? Ok so maybe your cellular won't work due to CDMA/GSM/etc, however over Wifi it shouldn't matter.

 

[costanzas_wallet]

I, for one, am very interested in seeing if this comes to fruition. I mean, people are only paying $120 / month for 700Mbps Internet and Cable TV in Kansas City. There's even a one-time fee of $300.00 for 7 years of Internet.. that's $3.57 / month! Competition at this level is a very welcomed thing for a stagnating industry.

I'd bet their Mobile Data will be around $30.00 / month for unlimited .. every hand-set will be unlocked and double as a mobile hot-spot. The sooner this gets here, the sooner I can stop grossly overpaying Verizon.

 

[mike123abc]

The problem with Google vs an existing cell provider is that Google, like Dish, does not have any cell towers. It is quite the task to work out deals for towers. AT&T and VZ each have around 40-50k towers to cover the US. Dish and Google both have large fiber networks, so they should be able to handle the back haul. Google did invest in clearwire, but then sold its stake off, would they buy in again to get tower access?

But, then maybe Google could do something smart like they did with their fiber in KC and find a way to do it cheap...

 

[dare2be]

Man, now I wish I lived in KC.

 

[mike123abc]

Man, now I wish I lived in KC.

No kidding. 1Gbit/sec internet for $70/month... Note that the bit torrent topped out at 700mbit, probably more from lack of computer power than a limitation of the internet connection. I wonder what is bandwidth intensive enough to actually top out the connection - a nice problem to have. I realize if you are a company have have 100 servers behind the connection you could top it out, but with home use it may as well be infinite since you have no one to talk to at that speed.

 

[DBS Commando]

The problem with Google vs an existing cell provider is that Google, like Dish, does not have any cell towers. It is quite the task to work out deals for towers. AT&T and VZ each have around 40-50k towers to cover the US. Dish and Google both have large fiber networks, so they should be able to handle the back haul. Google did invest in clearwire, but then sold its stake off, would they buy in again to get tower access?

But, then maybe Google could do something smart like they did with their fiber in KC and find a way to do it cheap...

I thought a majority of the towers out there were owned by third parties and leased to the carriers. In fact, I think VZW and ATT share many towers. They just put their own equipment up there

 

[mike123abc]

I thought a majority of the towers out there were owned by third parties and leased to the carriers. In fact, I think VZW and ATT share many towers. They just put their own equipment up there

It is a big mix. Still it has a potential of being thousands of leases and deals made to set up. A lot easier to just add equipment to towers you already own or lease.

 

[railroaddonna]

Actually their are only very small areas where the service is available. There is one small area on the MO side and one on the KS side. They have to get commitments from a large number of the residents in an area for them to run the fiber optics. Many of the residents in the center city neighborhoods can't afford 70 a month. It is not available in any suburbs at this time. I live 20 miles from downtown KC and it will probably be a decade or more before my area will be considered for the service.
Donna in KC