Vodafone recently made an announcement that it is collaborating with Google to develop innovative mobile search services for its customers.
Vodafone will soon integrate Google’s search capability into its consumer service, Vodafone live! — providing customers with the most relevant information, wherever they are and whatever time of day it is.
Vodafone hopes that the deal with Google, which for many users is synonymous with the Internet, will help it increase Internet usage by customers and help it raise data revenues.
Mobile operators have sunk in billion of euros to set up third generation networks and now need to increase data usage on their networks to recoup costs, with core voice revenues threatened by intense competition and falling prices.
Google’s search results will be delivered through Vodafone’s high speed data networks. Combining Vodafone’s mobile expertise with Google’s search capability will ensure that customers can quickly and easily find what is relevant to them. The new service will offer simultaneous search both on Vodafone live!–and the wider Web.
Alan Harper, Group Strategy Director, Vodafone, said:
Innovative mobile search will become increasingly important as fast and easy access to information and services are increasingly demanded by customers on the move. Together, Vodafone and Google will focus on creating the best mobile search service in the market, helping to bring the mobile internet to life. Our customers will be able to find relevant information and services faster, making the Vodafone live!–customer experience even better. Our intention is to develop our relationship with Google to ensure Vodafone customers continue to have the very best in mobile services.
The deal with Google will also see the mobile phone giant get a share of advertising revenues from the Internet search leader.
Vodafone’s integration of Google search will take the mobile internet to a new level. Vodafone live! — is the first mobile service to make data services easily accessible to mobile customers. Whether checking the weather, looking for a restaurant or getting the most up-to-date news, consumers want search services that meet their everyday needs.
Google already has a deal with Vodafone rival T-Mobile under which users of its 3G mobile services have the Google web page as their default home page.
Nikesh Arora, Vice President, European Operations, Google Inc., said:
As people become more mobile, it is increasingly important that we can provide them with access to information when on-the-go. Google understands that mobile phone users are looking for more than a desktop replacement — they want directly relevant content, quickly. Vodafone has long been a pioneer in providing mobile data services to its customers and we believe that by working together we will ensure a user friendly experience for mobile users.
However, Vodafone’s Chief Executive Arun Sarin told reporters at the 3GSM mobile industry gathering in Barcelona that Google would not be the home page on Vodafone Live, but users could get to it through just a few clicks.
We have Vodafone Live. It is a terrific experience for a very large number of our customers who can not be bothered with a navigation tool, said Sarin.
For Google, the alliance with an operator of Vodafone’s scale will help it expand its reach into the world of mobile devices.