Slashdot Mirror
Google and Time Warner Telecom - VoIP Partners?
An anonymous reader wrote to mention a ZDNet blog entry by Garett Rogers, wondering aloud about the relationship between Google and Time Warner Telecom. From the entry: "It is rumored that Google has started testing 'Click-to-Call' which links potential buyers to advertisers via phone, but the third party who provides the communication services is still unknown. Could it be Time Warner Telecom who will be providing VoIP services for Google's Click-to-Call service?" We've previously mentioned the Click-to-Call service.
If they pull this one, they'll leave the competition in the dust. If they haven't done so already.
So does this mean Google will merge with AIM? You've got search.
The Custom Mary
Just what we need... targeted advertisements during our phone calls. Like this one I just found on a google search:
Bank Robbery
Products and information about
Bank Robbery.
eBay.com
Slashdot: Gossip for Nerds on blogs that maybe/might/kinda/sorta matters.
I read
Amazingly the advertisers could just put their phone number in the advert...
and then people who care could pick the phone up and dial it.
I know it's a bit 80's but at the end of the day click-to-call just means that
they'll end up calling you, so you'll have to get up and answer the phone anyway.
Why. Make. Life. Complicated?
I wonder if this has anything to do with Google's potential bid for AOL. If AOL goes to Microsoft, Google stands to lose a lot of advertising revenue. So it wouldn't surprise me to hear they're cosying up to Time Warner.
Fits in nicely with the dark fiber piece from a week ago. If Google has 300 portable data centers throughout the country, they can provide local dialtone in almost every area code at no cost. I would imagine that any agreements with Time Warner would be for the sort term. This, combined with Google's SIP peering agreements with Earthlink and others to come deals a significant blow to SkypeOut. Watch out Ebay!
The call back technology that is being used has been around for close to a decade. I worked on a product integration with a company out of the UK a few years back who offered this technology.
erm its not rumoured at all. http://www.google.com/help/faq_clicktocall.html
Promote Charity on Myspace, Show Your Colours!
Honestly, no conrete idea which company they might be partnering w/ but maybe the click to call thing is a hint. Vonage currently offers a feature called Click-2-call which they have as a registered service mark. They also are the biggest VOIP provider and have a lot of infrastructure in place to support this (not that Time Warner and AOL don't... but ehh...).
The other possability I could see, which is a strech could be ebay who just recently accquired Skype, they might be a pretty good contender particuarlly as they have more of an international audience which is probably closer to Google's view of the world (again, not like AOL doesn't).
Just a thought.
TWTC most certainly does provide VoIP services. http://twtelecom.com/cust_solutions/services/one_s olution.html
So, I call BS on you. Althought I'm pretty damn sure Google has not been setting up any big deal with TWTC.
Time Warner Inc., Time Warner Cable, and Time Warner Telecom are all different companies.
Click to Call gives you way more control than otherwise possible through 800 number. :)
For example: you already know which product customer wants. Because you know the context. So no more "For electronics, press or say One, for fish food, press or say Two, for orchids and discontinued flowers, press or say Three". You can similarly omit language preferences. You don't have to use same 800 number with complicated routing (you don't need to lease/buy/use multiple 800 numbers). You can integrate it directly with your call center functions and CRM. And it's CHEAPER. Outgoing calls will be made from the best location (when you have local presence, from local numbers etc).
I'd say that is worth the complication
Hyperom.com