Google Wants To Free Americans From Roaming Charges

Just a month after announcing it’s building its own mobile network, Google began talks of a roaming-free service, The Telegraph reported on Saturday.

The search engine giant Google started talks with Hutchison Whampoa, the owner of mobile operator Three, and if successful, it will allow Americans to use their phones abroad at no extra cost, meaning it would put some serious pressure on the likes of AT&T and Verizon.

Hutchinson Whampoa is an important step for Google’s idea of a global network that will cost the same to use for calls, texts and data no matter where a customer is located.

Through Hutchinson, Google can gain access to mobile services in the UK, Ireland, Italy and several more countries.

Sources said Hutchison was a natural partner for Google in the plan, because it has also sought to eliminate roaming charges for Three customers, Telegraph reports.

Google has no intentions on ‘attacking’ the European mobile market, as it is competitive as it is, and as the European’s regulators are already looking to abolish roaming charges.

The company’s vice president Sundar Pichai confirmed during Mobile World Congress in Barcelona that it’s working on a ‘small-scale’ mobile network, confined to USA only.

It will not build mobile masts but rely on wholesale deals to use existing infrastructure both at home and abroad.

Among some key features should be an option for an automatic reconnecting of dropped calls, and merging cellular and WiFi into a seamless experience.

Google and Three declined to comment.