Google eyes PHL mobile market, ties up with Globe for ‘Free Zone’
JEREMY WAGSTAFF, Reuters November 9, 2012 11:07am
Singapore — Google launched a service on Thursday (Friday in Manila) it hopes will push millions of people in the developing world to access the Internet – and Google's ads – via basic mobile phones.
Google is launching the service, called Free Zone, first in the Philippines via local carrier Globe Telecom. The service allows phones with an Internet connection but limited functionality to access basic Google products like search, email and its social networking service Google+ for free.
Users could access websites that show up in Google's search results for free, but any website outside those results would prompt an invitation to subscribe to the mobile operator's data plan.
"It's aimed at the next billion users of the Internet, many of whom will be in emerging markets and encounter the Internet first on a mobile phone, without ever owning a PC," AbdelKarim Mardini, product manager for Google, told Reuters.
Google and Globe hope that by offering a free layer of services they will entice users of so-called feature phones to move beyond just making phone calls and sending SMS messages to sign up for Internet services.
Such services are more lucrative for carriers. Google makes most of its money through ads on web pages. It says it plans to roll out the service in other countries soon.
While developing countries like the Philippines have been enthusiastic early adopters of cellphones, there are still millions who either use phones too basic to be used for Internet services, or who are reluctant to shell out for more expensive services.
Phones running Google's Android operating system now account for three quarters of all smartphones shipped, according to consultancy IDC. But that still leaves a lot of phones.
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These are today's Suertres/Swertres Lotto tips; Yesterday's results are at the bottom
011
023
356*
346**
369*
378
068**
368**
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026**
012**
022**
029**
034
023**
237*
234*
239**
Yesterday's Philippine PCSO Draw Results
For November 08, 2012 Thursday
EZ2 Lotto
Morning 11am: 22-31
Afternoon 4pm: 13-26
Evening 9pm: 02-15
Winning numbers in exact order
Php 4,000.00 per 10 peso play
Suertres Lotto Luzon Vis-Min
Morning 11:00 am: 2-6-4
Afternoon 4:00 pm: 9-6-7
Evening 9:00 pm: 5-4-9
Winning numbers in exact order
Php: 4,500 per 10 peso play
6Digit Luzon
9pm: 4-1-7-6-7-5
Winning numbers in exact order
6/42 National Lottery
22-20-24-32-04-02
Current Jackpot: 3,048,402.60
(0)winner
Winning numbers in any order
Super 6/49 Nationwide Lotto
21-43-23-28-08-37
Current Jackpot: Php 22,449,074.40
(0)winner
Winning numbers in any order
For best results, it is suggested to always employ rumble on the tips above.
* = Hot Numbers
** = Very Hot Numbers
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