Google launched a new U.S. wireless service that switches between Wi-Fi and cellular networks to curb data use and keep phone bills low. This service could pressure wireless providers to further lower prices and better adapt to the rise of tablets and wearable devices.
This is not Google's first push into the world of wireless communications. It received a patent for wireless network access auctions, a way to charge customers based on network traffic and user-selectable priority, earlier this year.
The new service will run on T-Mobile and Sprint's networks and will enable customers to only pay for the data that they use each month, according to the report. This would be a big change for the wireless industry, which has traditionally charged customers to pay for a certain set amount of data that expires at the end of each month so that users are required to pay even for unused data. While Google's business model marks a significant change for the industry, its wireless service will not be available to everyone, at least not at first.
