1) My gmail now rings when people call my Google voice number. Think about that.
2) Eric Schmidt once commented on how much he liked free. Free can give you a 100% market share. And you can do a lot with 100% market share.
3) Google is giving away voice calls in the U.S. Not just computer-to-computer but computer-to-phone and vice versa. Given Android and Google TV, completely free phone calls can’t be far behind, at least on a per minute basis as opposed to per megabit. Just need a USB plug for my phone.
The free computer-to-phone thing basically destroys Skype’s main revenue stream. If I were Skype I’d be on the first flight to Redmond to talk acquisition.
What I’m not sure about is the coziness that’s transpired between Google and Verizon. Have they come up with some behind-the-scenes plan to divide up the consumer telecommunications world? Google is giving away free calling in the U.S. In what universe is that not a direct attack on the main cash flows of Verizon? Ah…but data has got to be the fastest growing cash flow at Verizon. What if Verizon is to become the world’s largest wired and mobile ISP? Where data transport is the main business. Google can then simply become Verizon’s biggest customer. After all, voice is just another data stream with ads.
