Google Inc(NASDAQ:GOOG) is all set to experiment with its all new
program “Google Free Zone” in Philippines. This new program is aimed at drawing
phone users in developing nations onto the mobile internet by way of the search
giant's ad-supported online properties. Philippines is the first country that
this largest search engine driver has chosen as its area of operation. The “Google
Free Zone” service was launched on Thursday itself in collaboration with wireless
carrier Globe Telecom.
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The service
gives a chance access Google Search, GMail, and Google+ for no cost provided
the customers’ are on Globe's network and obviously have an internet-capable
phone. The users can access the Google services even if they haven't subscribed
to a mobile data plan.
In addition to this, the customers can also surf through third-party
websites that show up in Google's search results at no charge. However,
clicking on any other links directs the customers to a screen which flashes the
instruction to purchase mobile data from Globe. Analysts anticipate that the
“Free Zone” service provided by Google is mainly targeted at users of so-called
feature phones, which are popular for making phone calls and sending SMS
messages but aren't often used to access the internet.
With claims that once users get familiar with accessing the internet on
mobile phones, they'll eventually shift for upgrading their mobiles to more
fully featured smartphones, Google product manager AbdelKarim Mardini said, “[Google
Free Zone is] aimed at the next billion users of the Internet, many of whom
will be in emerging markets and encounter the Internet first on a mobile phone,
without ever owning a PC." The company has plans for introducing this
program to other developing nations in the near future but the launch of this
pilot program would be in Philippines.
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