Apparently Google isn’t the only company that’s interested in getting into the wireless business. According to a new report, Internet service provider Comcast is considering joining the mobile biz.
The Information claims that Comcast officials have mentioned that the company is thinking about launching a mobile phone service that would utilize Wi-Fi connections as well as cellular airwaves. The service would use Wi-Fi when within range of a hotspot, and when out of range it would switch to a cellular signal that Comcast would lease from an existing U.S. operator.
The report also points out that Comcast was a part of SpectrumCo, a group of cable operators that sold AWS spectrum to Verizon in 2011. As part of that deal, the cable companies are able to sell Verizon service on a wholesale basis, which would work out nicely for Comcast’s purported Wi-Fi/cellular hybrid service.
The idea of a Wi-Fi/cellular hybrid cell phone service isn’t a new one. Republic Wireless has been doing it for some time, routing calls and texts over Wi-Fi and then utilizing Sprint’s network when the customer is out of range of Wi-Fi.
Even still, it’d be pretty interesting to see Comcast give the wireless business a try. Considering that it already sells cable, Internet and landline phone services, I’m sure that the company could offer its mobile service to many customers at a discount, especially since it would utilize Wi-Fi and cellular connectivity.
What do you make of this rumor? Do you think that Comcast would actually jump into the mobile arena?
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