Alphabet’s fibre-to-the-premises service Google Fiber is reportedly testing out a new phone service. If this were permanently adopted, the company would become a triple-play provider, offering broadband, television and phone services.
Alphabet’s (NASDAQ:GOOG, GOOGL) fibre-to-the-premises service Google Fiber is reportedly testing out a new phone service. If this were permanently adopted, the company would become it a triple-play provider, offering broadband, television and phone services.
The company has been inviting high-speed internet customers to trial the new service, called Google Fiber Phone, the Washington Post reported, linking to a copy of the invitation. Specifically, invitees are those who have chosen to try out potential new products and features as part of the Google Fiber Trusted Tester programme.
The invitation says the new offering gives customers “the chance to add home phone service to [their] current fiber service plan” and includes features such as a cloud-based phone number linking landline and mobile devices, voicemail transcription and call screening.
Customers can opt for a new number or transfer an existing landline or cell number, the invitation notes.
Those who are selected to take part in the trial of the new service will be asked for feedback ahead of a launch to all customers, the invitation adds.
The Google Voice application already enables users to link their phones to a single number and provides voicemail transcriptions and call screening.
On its website, Google Fiber says its does not offer landline phone service, but tells customers they can sign up for a phone or voice plan with another provider before switching to its VoIP services.
Launched in 2012, Google Fiber provides high-speed internet and television services in Austin, Kansas City and Provo, with plans to expand nationwide.
On Monday, Alphabet, the parent company of Google created in 2015, posted revenues of US$21.33bn for Q4 2015, up 18% year-on-year. The results saw its market cap soar to some US$550bn in after-hours trading that day, surpassing Apple as the world’s most valuable publicly traded company.
