Google buys Vodafone for $200bn; gains 252m customers; drops all call charges [April Fool]
[UPDATE: April fool! So, it's past midday in London therefore, I'm afraid to report that, as per the text below, this was an April Fool]
Google, the world leader in search, has, this morning, announced the purchase of Vodafone’s entire business, in a deal valued at approximately $200 billion — a substantial premium over Vodafone’s $160bn market value yesterday. Presumably to make the deal happen and dissuade other bidders from getting ideas.
The deal gives Google direct control of the mobile handsets (and, of course, mobile search revenue) of at least 250 million wireless subscribers around the world. Arun Sarin, due to speak at CTIA Wireless tomorrow, is reportedly delighted with the deal — he is to become VP of Global Wireless Strategy for the new entity.
No name changes as yet. It’ll still be called Vodafone but off the record, quite a few people reckon that we’ll shortly be calling Vodafone by the moniker, ‘GW’ (that is, ‘Google Wireless’). All handsets will have a direct Google search box on the standby screen — no messing around with having to load up web browsers and get connectivity before Googling. It’s a good idea. Sergey and the team at Google have made no secret that the mobile web is the way ahead. Just like they’ve done previously with huge search deals to lock in traffic (I’m thinking AOL, etc.), it makes sense to lock-in a whopping percentage of the Western economy’s wireless subscribers.
Vodafone, previously looking to standardise on a few platforms, including Symbian, is shortly to implement Google’s Android across most of it’s handsets. That should be exciting. Particularly since Nokia have apparently agreed to support Android on their upcoming N-Series line-up — in a bit of an unexpected bloody nose to the S60 chaps.
The best news is for those triple-A-rated mobile customers who, despite being on 35 pound/month contracts, always seem to get monthly invoices in the 150 pound range. Well, no more. Starting August 1st, all data and standard calls are free. You simply pay a standing $10 or £10/month fee for your subscription. Google doesn’t want your per minute or per meg data revenues. It wasn’t your supernormal search revenues. That should put the cat amongst the pigeons.
Bring on August 1st. Congratulations to all at the Google Wireless Team and, of course, nice one to the Vodafone Direction Team. That’s a pretty good exit and I’m sure the market will be delighted.
Presumably Google will shortly own half of Verizon — but no word yet on whether they’ll do a full acquisition of ‘America’s most reliable network’ as yet.
Oh, and remember it’s April 1st in London right now, ergo this post is 100% inaccurate… let’s be clear — ONE HUNDRED PERCENT — inaccurate. April Fool.
But geez it would have shaken up the industry if accurate, eh? 
LMAO I just shit myself reading that
That would have been bad news indeed LOL!!! NiceOne
Posted by LOL on April 1st, 2008 at 12:05 am.[...] news comes on the same day that Ewan over on SMS Text News announces that Google have bought out the Vodafone group and could be making moves for [...]
Posted by Jaiku to open and become default phone book on Android! | jaiku invites on April 1st, 2008 at 2:38 am.To Bad Google only has a Market Cap of 138.02 Billion. What date is it again?
Posted by Brendan on April 1st, 2008 at 4:54 am.That’s a nice one guyz! You really got me on that…
Posted by Mack005 on April 1st, 2008 at 4:56 am.why? why?
Posted by Issah on April 1st, 2008 at 6:09 am.why?
Posted by Issah on April 1st, 2008 at 6:10 am.Ewan, if we ever meet, I will KILL you!
Posted by Fahed on April 1st, 2008 at 6:45 am.Lol
Made my day at the office
Posted by Kai on April 1st, 2008 at 8:28 am.Come on. 1st of April (Fool Day)! Give us something more serious! HA HA HA
Posted by jpetro on April 1st, 2008 at 9:27 am.Oh joy.
I got a colleague sooooo good with this one. It was really, really hard to keep a straight face as we discussed market capitalisation, valuation, per-subscriber cost and the assumed value of a zero-tariff in exchange for compulsory ads pre- and post-call.
Then he was off to Google the deal, (obviously you have been linked to all over this am) and it took a good few minutes before the inevitable’ oh, maaaan’ came from the other side of the room.
Almost as good as my other colleague who turned up a month early for a high-power dinner at the BT Tower last week (’please take a seat sir…it appears you aren’t on the list, sir…’) and another who overrode his iphone and mac clocks, adamant that time went backward on Sunday. He then spent until 2pm wondering why the world and everyone in it seemed slightly out of sync.
Happy days.
/m
Posted by Mike on April 1st, 2008 at 9:42 am.[...] a crazy day! Check out the detail here… Bookmark and Share This Page | « CloseSave to Browser [...]
Posted by Google buys Vodafone!!! | Jonathan MacDonald.com on April 1st, 2008 at 9:52 am.[...] Presumably to make the deal happen and dissuade other bidders from getting ideas. According to smsetxnews The deal gives Google direct control of the mobileThe deal gives Google direct control of the mobile [...]
Posted by Google buys Vadafone | All About mobile on April 1st, 2008 at 10:23 am.This move is more related to Andoid because google i splaying hard to get in
john’s last blog post..Google buys Vadafone
Posted by john on April 1st, 2008 at 10:38 am.meh!
Posted by SE Fanboy on April 1st, 2008 at 1:28 pm.Issah you just got April Fooled by Ewan!
Posted by Ricky C on April 1st, 2008 at 2:00 pm.[...] Already, SMS Text News is “reporting” that Google is buying Vodaphone. The VAR Guy sensed “hoax” from the blog entry’s very first sentence. Alas, some readers will surely consider the information factual. At the bottom of the blog post, SMS Text News concedes the report is a hoax. [...]
Posted by Falling for April Fools | The VAR Guy on April 1st, 2008 at 2:09 pm.