tom thomas
@comcast.net
| GV has competition
hurry up and get in the beta!
»www.techcrunch.com/2009/11/04/sa···invites/
what i like so far is i can call out using a SIP device with my regular cell number as caller ID. what i do not like as much is that callers get 'the person is being located' in place of a ring tone. this can be confusing. i do not care for the people calling me to know they are callling anything other than a very normal phoenn number. |
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Pinan
Hypnotic Tweaker
ExMod 2000-03
join:2000-09-02
Murrieta, CA
| said by tom thomas :
what i do not like as much is that callers get 'the person is being located' in place of a ring tone.
This only happens the first time they call, and only if they're not in your Contact list.
Also: Blocking my CID is why I mostly love GV.
Several people who have called me comment that they think the service (GV) is pretty cool. Very private. Indeed....
I'll happily beta this new one though. |
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neftv
join:2000-10-01
Broomall, PA | reply to tom thomas
I just wonder where this Virtualization is headed toward?
GV and now ribbit.
I think soon we won't be carrying phones we will be carrying netbooks. |
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tom thomas
@lbtmail.com
| reply to Pinan
said by Pinan  :said by tom thomas :
what i do not like as much is that callers get 'the person is being located' in place of a ring tone.
This only happens the first time they call, and only if they're not in your Contact list. Also: Blocking my CID is why I mostly love GV. Several people who have called me comment that they think the service (GV) is pretty cool. Very private. Indeed.... I'll happily beta this new one though. i was talking about RM not GV! |
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nitzan
Premium,VIP
join:2008-02-27
 ·ViaTalk
 ·Comcast
| reply to neftv
said by neftv :I just wonder where this Virtualization is headed toward? GV and now ribbit. I think soon we won't be carrying phones we will be carrying netbooks. Honestly? I think it's going nowhere.
Think about it - can you imagine your parents using this stuff? can you imagine your non-techie friends using any of this? it's all a niche market - one that costs the provider an arm and a leg. IMHO it won't be soon before they either start charging OR they close shop. |
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neftv
join:2000-10-01
Broomall, PA | Can they be funding this kind of service by tapping into the USF fund? Somehow? |
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nitzan
Premium,VIP
join:2008-02-27
·ViaTalk
·Comcast
| I don't see how that would be possible. To tap into the USF you'd need to be a rural CLEC with rural subscribers.
I think Ribbit is running this as a trial towards paid-service - unlike GV they apparently have no illusions about the need to charge. I'm still not quite sure how GV is planning to actually make money though. |
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AVonGauss
Premium,MVM
join:2007-11-01
Boynton Beach, FL
1 edit | One way that comes to mind is highly targeted ads based on the transcription of the voice mail. You login in to hear the message, it's about groceries, see an ad for a local grocery store. |
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josephf
join:2009-04-26
·VoicePulse
1 edit | reply to nitzan
said by nitzan :I'm still not quite sure how GV is planning to actually make money though. They aren't. They plan on offering it free without expecting GV to be independently profitable. It is a loss leader for them, like some of Google's other products. |
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nonymous
join:2003-09-08
Glendale, AZ
1 edit | said by josephf :said by nitzan :I'm still not quite sure how GV is planning to actually make money though. They aren't. They plan on offering it free without expecting GV to be independently profitable. It is a loss leader for them, like some of Google's other products. They can get you addicted to it though. Then maybe still give free incoming and charge a little for outgoing. Plus charge for any enhanced extras they come out with. Plus things like google apps and gmail which are free for home use they can charge large business for. So they do not give everything away. Businesses pay for use things we as home users get free. We are a free beta testing ground.
So even as a loss leader they can tweak it enough other ways. Think they have your phone number, email, google apps, chrome browser and other things you will be absorbed. Even with just slight tweaking and charging some for extras all that potential marketing data alone is a small fortune. |
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nitzan
Premium,VIP
join:2008-02-27
·ViaTalk
·Comcast
| reply to josephf
said by josephf :said by nitzan :I'm still not quite sure how GV is planning to actually make money though. They aren't. They plan on offering it free without expecting GV to be independently profitable. It is a loss leader for them, like some of Google's other products. A loss leader for WHAT though? where is the profit? where is the future profit? a loss leader has to lead to profit somehow... |
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josephf
join:2009-04-26
1 edit | For the Google brand and other Google products.
Perhaps they'll even add voicemail advertising down the line. |
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nitzan
Premium,VIP
join:2008-02-27
·ViaTalk
·Comcast
| Let's be realistic here:
Google has how many million (billion?) users currently?
Does tiny (in their terms) Google Voice REALLY matter/helps them in gaining brand recognition? even if it did - which it really doesn't - it doesn't to a degree that justifies the cost.
If they add advertising to GV - I can see the potential in their mind - won't work though IMHO. While a few techheads are going to be OK with being spammed on voice too - I don't see any of my friends caring for it. |
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josephf
join:2009-04-26 | I guess Nitzan and Google have a difference of opinion.  |
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OmagicQ
join:2003-10-23
Bakersfield, CA
·Future Nine Corpor..
·Callcentric
 ·AT&T DSL Service
| reply to tom thomas
I think Google likes having its fingers in many pies watching to see what will gain critical mass and take off. a million users on Voice isn't much but if/when it becomes 10 million or some number that catches Google's attention, they'll figure out a way to monetize it. If they price it $2.95 like Skype's "unlimited" US/Canada calling plan..they might lose the "not paying a cent" crowd but they'll have some revenue to offset their costs. Out of 10 million users, how many would pay? even if only 10% then that's what they have now and they would be paying users. |
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josephf
join:2009-04-26 | Google made a filing with the FCC about a week ago where they clearly stated they have no near term plan to charge for any GV feature or function that is currently free. |
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fareedf
join:2008-01-25
Portland, OR | reply to nitzan
GV makes some money from LD/ Overseas calls specially from people who only have mobile phone and I am sure this category of people not going to use their providers LD calls since it costs 10 times or more from AT&T, T-Mobile or Verizon. |
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josephf
join:2009-04-26 | Google stated in an FCC filing that only 4% of GV users call international. |
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RockyBB
Premium
join:2005-01-31
Longmont, CO
| reply to nitzan
said by nitzan :Does tiny (in their terms) Google Voice REALLY matter/helps them in gaining brand recognition? even if it did - which it really doesn't - it doesn't to a degree that justifies the cost. Perrhaps you have missed my other authoritative posts in other threads on the topic of why GV is and will continue to be free. It's to associate Google with phone calls, especially timely in light of tomorrow's release of Verizon Wireless Android OS system phone, the Droid. It's my belief (though I did say above "authoritative") that Google's strategy is to create a natural and positive goodwill association with their brand and using a phone. Watch for GoogleVoice being "enabled" or somesuch on Android OS handsets. They are pushing the phones, by giving away the calls (the reverse of giving away the razor and charging for the blades). Google's jackpot will be royalties on the sales of the Android handsets, royalties on the sales of "apps" through Google's "app store," and royalties on Google Payments as users purchase the apps. Google doesn't care about making a half a cent per minute marking up phone calls ... that missed opportunity cost is simply investment that will allow them to rake in ~$150 each on millions of handsets. And remember that cell phones are consumables ... remember the "new in 2" deals where subscribers are encouraged to get a new phone every two years? It's a self perpetuating money machine. |
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josephf
join:2009-04-26
·VoicePulse
| said by RockyBB :royalties on the sales of the Android handsets Google gives away the Android OS free, and does not receive royalties from cell phone manufacturers.
Which, also, further demonstrates Google's commitment to the "free" pricing model. |
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