There is no single new telecom player that frightens and intrigues traditional telcos more than Google. The Internet giant is likely to bid on 700 MHz spectrum that will augment its telecom efforts, and much of the established telecom industry's 700 MHz lobbying efforts were spent trying to stop Google from getting the regulatory conditions it desired.
Meanwhile, Google, which acquired VoIP player Grand Central last month, has been forced to pull back on Grand Central's promise to offer customers "one phone number for life." According to published reports, one carrier declined to support previously assigned numbers as Google transitioned Grand Central's customers to its own operation. This sounds like another move in the ongoing match between Google and the established telecom industry, but why must customers be pawns?
For more:
- Read Telephony's story [1] on the number crunch, and follow FierceWireless covering [2] Google 700 MHz plans
Links:
[1] http://telephonyonline.com/home/news/google_grand_central_082107/
[2] http://www.fiercewireless.com/tags/700-mhz-spectrum