Google to offer mobile services via Sprint WiMAX

Stuart Corner
Friday, 27 July 2007 09:11

Opinion and Analysis

The announcement also suggests that there will be ample opportunities for others to offer value -added services on the Sprint network. " Sprint will provide open standard APIs (application programming interfaces) to Sprint's go-to-market partners and the Internet developer community to create customised products for browsable devices, facilitating the delivery of personalised and interactive services to consumer, business, public safety and government customers.

"These services will be available in a variety of WiMAX embedded devices, including connection cards, stand-alone modems, laptop computers and consumer electronic devices such as personal media players, mobile Internet devices, gaming devices and phones. Eventually, the WiMAX service will be available in vehicles for navigation information, news and entertainment."

So it would seem that, technically at least, others could offer services directly competitive with those planned by Google. Whether commercially or practically they will be able to do so was not spelt out.

In its letter to the FCC on the 700MHz spectrum, Google said: "all commercial licensees seeking to provide a CMRS-type commercial service using 700MHz spectrum must not block, impair, impede, or otherwise unreasonably limit the ability of end users to download and utilise software applications."

As Google notes in its letter to the FCC: "Access to open platforms also allows multi-layer activities from myriad entities, such as software applications providers, content providers, device makers, Web-based entities, simple resellers, and mobile virtual network operators."

Depending on how Sprint's web portal operates, other services may or may not enjoy equal prominence with Google Apps. But of course Sprint  has no obligation to make its platform open in the way Google is suggesting for future platforms.