T-Mobile’s Google phone may offer free e-mail

By Scott Moritz

Android lands at T-Mobile Tuesday, and as part of the effort to deliver the Google phone to the mobile market, T-Mobile is considering including free e-mail access.

The new Android-powered phone will have Google’s (GOOG) Gmail service built in, and T-Mobile executives are considering offering access to Gmail free, without the need for a data plan, says one person close to the discussions.

The HTC-manufactured T-Mobile phone will be the first of the hotly-anticipated Android-operated handsets, and one of several new challengers to Apple’s (AAPL) iPhone. The Android project was created by Google to cultivate an open application platform to operate next-generation mobile phones. T-Mobile – a unit of Deutshe Telekom (DT) - is expected to unveil the phone during a press conference at 10:30 ET Tuesday, and offer it for sale later this fall.

Analysts see the Google phone as the beginning of an important lead in mobile Internet advertising through ads appearing on Android powered phones. Sandeep Aggarwal, an analyst with Collins Stewart, estimates that the phone will generate $5 billion in incremental revenue for Google by 2011.

Should T-Mobile decide to offer free Gmail access, it would be seen as a big counter move to Research in Motion’s (RIMM) BlackBerry e-mail service, which costs $15 a month extra. And if telcos embrace Google’s ad-supported free e-mail, it could help drive Google’s ultimate aim to spread its successful desktop advertising business to mobile phones.

The move to provide free Gmail has risks, however.

T-Mobile could undercut its own data revenue stream from BlackBerry subscribers if users trade in their Curves and Pearls for the Android phone. But T-Mobile, the No.4 wireless shop, needs an attention-getting strategy like free e-mail to help set itself apart from bigger players like AT&T (T), Verizon (VZ) and Sprint (S).

Google referred calls for comment to T-Mobile and a T-Mobile representative could not provide an immediate comment.

As for the HTC Android phone itself, one user who got an early trial described the slide out keyboard as a little awkward for some typing tasks. The browsing quality however was “better than BlackBerry and close to the iPhone.”

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Filed under AOL, Blackberry, Google, Hulu, Internet, Microsoft-Yahoo, Mobile, Research in Motion, Samsung, Sidekick, Sony Ericsson, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon, Virgin Mobile, Vodaphone, Yahoo, android, apple, at&t, e-mail, iphone, microsoft

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Yes, the data plan is currently required in order to get your hands on a G1, so this offer won’t do folks much good unless they have somehow gotten out of the data plan.

Posted By Brad, Salem, Oregon : October 13, 2008 5:47 pm

Gmail already IS free.

The dinosaur media proves once again that it just doesn’t get it! Go kill some more trees, Fortune…

Posted By Tawny, Bethlehem, PA : October 3, 2008 11:38 pm

Either the article should’ve been titled, “T-Mobile considers allowing use of G1 without a data plan” instead, because as of now – in keeping with AT&T’s iPhone subscription(/restriction) plan – the data plan is mandatory. That news would be much more compelling than being able to access GMail without a plan… but it’s more than likely false, or was misinterpreted from the actual consideration that GMail use on your at-least $25/mo “unlimited” data plan won’t count against your 1GB soft-cap. Gee, thanks T-Mobile.

Posted By Whoever, Wherever, Whatever : September 24, 2008 6:19 pm

So much for this, eh Scott?

Posted By Gresham Lake, Woodruff, Wisc. : September 24, 2008 12:48 am

It’s a mistake to launch with a slide phone. And Collins Stewart’s forecast is very generous.

As for being a challenge to the iPhone, it simply isn’t. Nothing personal. It just isn’t.

Posted By John, Fort Myers – FL : September 23, 2008 4:53 pm

“The new Android-powered phone will have Google’s (GOOG) Gmail service built in, and T-Mobile executives are considering offering access to Gmail free, without the need for a data plan, says one person close to the discussions.”

It’s awesome how other commenters don’t read the article. Simply awesome.

Posted By Bruce, Astoria, NY : September 23, 2008 1:19 pm

The free Gmail email could be possible because the phone has Wi-Fi built-in. To the user 2 post after mine check out http://www.t-mobileg1.com for press conference.

Posted By Jose, Boca Raton, FL : September 23, 2008 1:15 pm

Read the article Ivan-

The new Android-powered phone will have Google’s (GOOG) Gmail service built in, and T-Mobile executives are considering offering access to Gmail free, without the need for a data plan, says one person close to the discussions.

Posted By Colin, New Haven, CT : September 23, 2008 12:36 pm

“Free” gmail is available on most phones with internet capabilities. A data plan is required with this device so there is nothing “free” about gmail on it.

Posted By Ivan, Pittsburgh PA : September 23, 2008 12:22 pm

Wouldn’t offering free Gmail access without a data package (and thus access to the web at large) defeat the purpose of an ‘ad-supported’ free mail service?

Posted By Charles Davis, Cambridge, MA : September 23, 2008 12:15 pm

Does anybody know of any live blog where i can follow the press conference ??

Posted By Prasad, Houston TX : September 23, 2008 9:45 am

T-Mobile is a unit of Deutsche Telekom, not Deutshe Telekom.

Posted By Anonymous : September 22, 2008 11:23 pm

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