Google plans to let you use your phone abroad for FREE: Tech giant is in talks with Three to help abolish roaming costs

  • Google is said to be in talks with Hutchison Whampoa, which owns Three 
  • Global network will let users make calls in any country at no extra cost 
  • Google's Sundar Pichai confirmed rumours of a network in February
  • Instead of building masts Google is said to be looking at becoming a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) 

Two months after it announced it was launching its own mobile network, Google is now looking at ways to get rid of roaming fees.

The tech giant is said to be in talks with Hutchison Whampoa, the owner of the Three network, to let its users make calls and send texts in any country at no extra cost.

Industry sources said the firms are discussing a 'wholesale access agreement' that would help Google create a global network. 

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Google is said to be in talks with Hutchison Whampoa, the owner of the Three network, to let its users make calls and send texts in any country at no extra cost. Industry sources said the firms are discussing a 'wholesale access agreement' that would help Google create a global network

Google is said to be in talks with Hutchison Whampoa, the owner of the Three network, to let its users make calls and send texts in any country at no extra cost. Industry sources said the firms are discussing a 'wholesale access agreement' that would help Google create a global network

Customers would then be able to use this global network to make calls, send texts and use data as part of their plan, regardless of where in the world they are. 

In particular, a deal with Hutchison would extend the service to the UK, Ireland, Italy and Spain., but the plans would only affect the small base of customers on Google's plan. 

THREE EXTENDS FEEL AT HOME

Last week Three extending its Feel at Home scheme to Spain and New Zealand. 

Feel at Home lets Three customers use their phones, and their plans, in the same way they can at home even when they're in a foreign country.  

Spain and New Zealand take the total number of Feel at Home countries to 18.

The other nations include France, Switzerland, Israel, Norway, Sri Lanka, Australia, Finland, Indonesia, Macau, Italy, Austria, Hong Kong, Sweden, Denmark, the Republic of Ireland and the USA.

Three already offers a similar scheme called Feel at Home that lets customers use their phones and their plans in 18 countries.

Google's vice president Sundar Pichai confirmed rumours his firm was launching a mobile network plan during during a talk at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona in February.

It will be initially offered to cities that have Google Fiber, such as Kansas, Texas and Utah and Google is working with network operators on developing the cellular plan.

‘You will see us announce it in the coming months, I think we are at a stage where it is important to think about hardware, software and connectability together,’ said the 43-year-old.

The rumours of a Google mobile network plan first emerged in April last year. 

Instead of building masts, Google will buy access to existing 3G and 4G networks at wholesale prices and sell the connectivity back to customers at a cheaper rate.

Three already offers a similar scheme called Feel at Home (pictured) that lets customers use their phones and their plans for free, in 18 countries. Spain and New Zealand were the latest countries to join this scheme

Three already offers a similar scheme called Feel at Home (pictured) that lets customers use their phones and their plans for free, in 18 countries. Spain and New Zealand were the latest countries to join this scheme

WHAT IS A MOBILE VIRTUAL NETWORK OPERATOR? 

A mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) is a company that offers mobile service plans using existing networks.

MVNOs don't own the infrastructure the networks are built on. Instead, they buy access to parts of these networks at wholesale prices.

The company can then use this access to run its own wireless plans and resell the connectivity back to customers - usually at a reduced rate.

Lycamobile in the U.S, for example, is an MVNO because it runs on T-Mobile’s network.

In the UK, Tesco Mobile shares O2’s, and ultimately Telefonica’s, networks.

An MVNO is typically run as an independent company, with its own staff and customer service 

This would make Google a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) similar to Lycamobile in the US that runs on T-Mobile’s network, and Tesco Mobile in the UK which shares O2’s networks.

MVNOs don't own the infrastructure the networks are built on. Instead, they buy access to parts of these networks at wholesale prices.

The company can then use these network to run its own wireless plans and resell the connectivity back to customers - usually at a reduced rate.

Mr Pinchai said: ‘We want to be able to experiment along those lines, [but] we don't intend to be a network operator at scale.’

He described the plans as a ‘project’ and will do it on a small enough scale to not threaten existing networks.

In particular, Mr Pichai said the setup should provide at seamless connection between Wi-Fi and mobile networks.

Sources said at the time of the original rumours that any Google-branded mobile network would initially launch in cities that have Google Fiber.

Google launched its 1000mps Fiber broadband service in 2011, starting with Kansas City.

Google's vice president Sundar Pichai (pictured) confirmed rumours his firm was launching a mobile network plan during during a talk at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona in February. Instead of building masts, Google will buy access to existing networks and sell connectivity back to customers at a cheaper rate

Google's vice president Sundar Pichai (pictured) confirmed rumours his firm was launching a mobile network plan during during a talk at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona in February. Instead of building masts, Google will buy access to existing networks and sell connectivity back to customers at a cheaper rate

TRAVELEX CARD REMOVES BANK ROAMING FEES ON HOLIDAY

Travelex has launched a 'Supercard' that makes fees charged by banks for using your card abroad a thing of the past. 

Based on an average 10-day holiday, Travelex told MailOnline a family of four could save almost £110. 

The Supercard looks and works like a standard debit card, but it connects to an app and lets users consolidate multiple cards onto one account.

The banking fees are paid for by Travelex and savings are shown in real-time.

And if a card is lost or stolen it can be blocked using the app. 

In 2013, the firm announced it was expanding the service to Austin in Texas, Provo in Utah and a number of other towns in Missouri and California.

More locations are due to be added later this year, but the roll-out is slow because Google has to install the relevant infrastructure needed.

Google Fiber starts at $70 (£42) a month and has been praised for offering high speeds at relatively low prices.

Google’s wireless plans would remove some of the costs, and time spent, in setting up its own network and it would equally benefit from using already established and well-connected networks.

This could help Google cement itself as an internet service provider.

Google could additionally use the network to sell its Nexus range of phones, for example, with contract or service plans. 

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