For Google, old is still gold. In a rather surprising announcement on Tuesday, the massive tech giant unveiled its newest service. Unlike its previous offerings, which usually revolved around tech-based services that are highly-advanced, Google's recent announcement involved a product that was a favorite of yesteryear - the venerable landline.
Yes, for a company that gave America gigabit broadband service and the Android operating system comes Fiber Phone, Google's landline service. According to Google's announcement, the landline service will soon roll out to cities that already support Fiber Internet. The service is set to cost $10 a month.
Thus, customers enrolled in Google's $70 monthly plan for gigabit internet speeds or $120 monthly plan for gigabit internet and TV services will be able to enjoy landline services as well. But wait, before considering Google's new product as a vanity project for the tech giant, consumers must note that Fiber Phone is a few steps away from a conventional landline service.
Much of the services of Fiber Phone are very similar to that of Google Voice. For one, the service gives consumers unlimited local and nationwide long-distance calling. International calling is also possible, with rates that are comparable to competitors.
Perhaps the most novel feature of Fiber Phone, however, is its cloud-based platform. Signing up for the service does not require customers to acquire a landline phone from the tech giant. Rather, Fiber Phone is just a small black box that could be attached to any existing landline phone in the house.
Since the service is cloud-based, the service works with any hardware customers connect it with. That includes landline phones, laptop computers, tablets and other similar devices. John Shriver-Blake, Fiber's product manager, remained optimistic about the potentials of the company's new service.
"While mobile phones have pushed us toward the future, home phone service is still important to many families. Landlines can be familiar, reliable and provide high-quality service, but the technology hasn't always kept up," he said.
Landline usage across America has been on the decline for years, with a recent survey concluding that only 40 percent of adult Americans today using cellphones exclusively for voice calling. With the advent of the smartphone, people have been using more and more varied ways to connect and interact.
Google's Fiber Phone service should be ready for residential customers in a few select areas across the United States, before expanding to a nationwide service.
