Google is said to be in talks with Hutchison Whampoa, the owner of the mobile operator Three to make overseas calling cheap, as per a report from The Telegraph.
The main aim for the talks is to allow US users to access their phones internationally at no extra costs. Google is reportedly planning to create a global network that will charge the same cost for calls, text message and data irrespective of the customer location. If the collaboration with the Hutchison takes place, Google could gain wholesale access to mobile service in the UK, Ireland, Italy and several more countries where the Hong Kong conglomerate owns mobile networks.
Moving on, the report states that Google is also seeking to eliminate roaming charges for Three customers. Google announced its plans to launch a mobile network last month. The tech giant will not build mobile masts but rely on wholesale deals to use existing infrastructure both at home and abroad. This move will put pressure on the pricing of America’s biggest mobile operators, AT&T and Verizon, who enjoy higher profit margins than their European counterparts. In addition, the “small scale project”, as Google calls it, could encourage operators to invest in new technology to improve mobile coverage via Wi-Fi networks.
Sources said Google was has no plans to to offer a mobile network to British consumers and is unlikely to for the foreseeable future. The European telecoms market is relatively competitive and roaming charges are already on their way to being abolished by regulators.