Tech giant Alphabet Inc. GOOGL launched Fiber Phone on Tuesday, an optional home phone service that adds to its gigabit speed Fiber Internet and cable network.
With the addition of Fiber Phone, Google will now be offering a “Triple Play” service that includes Internet, television and phone. Primarily, Fiber Phone will be available in Austin and Kansas City and will soon cover all residential Fiber cities.
Fiber Phone will offer free unlimited local and national calling. It will also offer international calling at standard Google Voice rates. It covers standard land line features such as call waiting, caller ID and 911 services.
It allows subscribers to retain existing numbers, pick new numbers and add them to mobile, tablet or laptop. It can also transcribe voice messages and email or text them to the user. The Fiber phone numbers live in the cloud and carry most of the features of Google Voice.
Google said in a blog post, “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.”
Presently, the combined package of Google Fiber’s pays TV and high-speed Internet costs $130 per month. The new phone line will add $10 to this monthly bill making it $140.
With Google stressing on the expansion of its Fiber Internet and cable service, it appears that it will continue to strengthen its foothold in the telecommunications and Internet service space.
Expansion of cloud services is just another step on Google’s part toward wrestling market share from its closest peers such as Comcast Corporation CMCSA and Verizon Communications Inc. VZ who are already offering “Triple Play” services.
Currently, Google is a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock. Investors may also consider a better-ranked stock like Etsy, Inc. ETSY, sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).
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