Dive Brief:
- At the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this week, Google confirmed rumors that it will be offering mobile virtual network operator services in the U.S.
- At first the search giant will piggy-back off of other networks which haven't yet been determined, but Google does have service-reseller deals with Sprint and T-Mobile.
- Google also announced it will be providing wireless Internet service to unconnected areas via solar-powered planes.
Dive Insight:
For mobile marketers, Google's entry into wireless service is big—the company is undoubtedly going to "push the boundaries" of mobile data, according to Sundar Pichai, senior VP of Google, during the conference. Given the success of its Android operating system, Google is primed to start delivering a mobile service of its own. The connectivity the MVNO could set up the search giant to better deliver ads to mobile users.
The Mobile World Congress has become one of the "it" global tech events of the year, particularly for marketers, because of mobile's growing importance in all industries. "At the end of 2014, there were over 12 billion connected devices. That number will continue to grow, so regardless of the industry of our clients, the ongoing evolution of mobility will impact them," Brian Yamada, chief innovation officer at the marketing agency VML, told AdWeek.
