Google launches third-world mobile web land grab

Google has chosen the Philippines as the first country in which to try out Google Free Zone, a new program aimed at getting phone users in developing nations onto the mobile internet by way of the search giant's ad-supported online properties. The service, which Google launched on Thursday in partnership with wireless carrier …

[Oengus]

Free Internet access - maybe...

Anything free from Google - Never.

[mr. deadlift]

free internet

i always though the future of the internet was free, or a variant of it, ad paid etc...

i still kinda think that too.

beer for friday!

[Anonymous Coward]

It isn't free..

As it's Google, you pay for it with your privacy. As bonus you may have your identity stolen, as demonstrated yesterday with the car insurance cockup.

[Graham Marsden]

So what's wrong with...

... a "Google-Free Zone"?

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm a globe user

and this is the first I'm hearing of this.

Globe spam you every day with their promo texts, sometimes twice or more a day. Following the opt-out instructions never helps.

But they haven't text me anything about google free zone and I've seen no local advertising, no tv ads, no radio ads. So why are they keeping this under their hats? Are they hoping that those without any credit will try use the internet and see it magically works and then those of us who are regularly paying just won't notice it.

[Anonymous Coward]

found more info from globe

http://surf.globe.com.ph/plan/freezone?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=broadcast&utm_campaign=drive2portal

[Anonymous Coward]

Lots of users will end up paying

Having read the Globe page about how it works, I can tell you right now that lots of people are going to experience charges they weren't expecting.

I keep the internet turned off on my phone because many of the apps try to sync or call home etc. Globe will automatically charge you on a per mb usage plan (or in 15 min segments).

To use the Google Free Zone you have to turn on your internet and only go out to the internet via libre.ph . So if one of your smart-phone installed apps starts trying to sync or call home then you will instantly be charged. There will be no 'do you want to pay for internet usage' warning.

[Anonymous Coward]

Charges

So smartphone users are pretty much guaranteed to end up being charged:

I used Free Zone on my smartphone and I think I got charged for the usage. Why is that?

Accessing Free Zone via a smartphone on supported carriers is free. However, based on the installed apps and the phone's settings, a smartphone can run a number of background tasks, widgets, or apps that use data and could incur charges.