Sprint Launches Integrated Google Voice Experience on All Its Phones

| Mar 22, 2011 | Consumer Services U.S. | Analyst: Deepa Karthikeyan

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Event Summary

March 21, 2011 -- Sprint has become the first U.S. carrier to offer the Google Voice feature with all its phones. The carrier is allowing customers to assign their existing mobile phone number as their Google Voice number, without the hassle of having to port it.

Quick Take

Analytical Summary

• Current Perspective: Positive on the integration of Google and Sprint’s voice services, because the fact that Sprint is allowing its customers to use Google Voice without porting their numbers adds an important differentiation against other carriers which are also able to support Google Voice. Sprint is embracing the opportunity to team up with Google to bring its voice service to all of Sprint’s phones by making it easy for users to add the service. Another positive factor is that the carrier is not charging extra to provide this functionality.

• Vendor Importance: High on Sprint, because by adding Google Voice to all devices, it differentiates its service from rivals. It also provides the benefits of Google Voice without the need for an app. Sprint’s addition of the Google Voice service allows for innovation as well, because it will depend on Google to keep including additional functionality that can be enjoyed by Sprint customers without any additional support or maintenance cost for the carrier. Since this feature is reserved to postpaid users, the impact on the wireless revenue will be even more limited.

• Market Impact: Moderate on the wireless services market, because Google Voice was available in the market before this partnership with Sprint. Moreover, Google Voice is available to users with other carriers. In short, the main difference is that Sprint is allowing its customers to use Google Voice without the need to port their numbers, but there is no ‘exclusive’ functionality to Sprint customers.

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Current Perspective

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