Google Treads Further Into ‘Big Cable’ Territory With Bundled Google Fiber Phone Service

Google is looking to round out its Google Fiber service, and well-entrenched cable companies like Time Warner Cable and Comcast, which often have virtual monopolies in various markets across the United States, should have even more reason for concern. According to a new report, the search giant will launch Google Fiber Phone, which would add to its exiting Internet and TV services to give Google Fiber a true “Triple Play” offering for customers.

Members of the Google Fiber Trusted Tester Program have received invites via email over the past few weeks to test out Google Fiber Phone. Not surprisingly, the service sounds like it incorporates quite a bit of functionality from Google Voice, with Google writing:

With Fiber Phone, you can use the right phone for your needs, whether it’s your mobile device on the go or your landline at home. No more worrying about cell reception or your battery life when you’re home… Spam filtering, call screening and do-not-disturb make sure the right pep can get in touch with you at the right time.

For people that still use a landline and haven’t completely switched over to cell phones even at home, that last point is a huge benefit. It could be a great way to weed out always-annoying telemarketers and anyone else that the feeds off landline users to peddle goods and services at all hours of the day (and night).

Members of the Trusted Tester program that choose to trial Google Fiber Home will be visited by a Fiber team member who will install equipment necessary to get the service up and running. As Google Fiber Phone is still in the “beta” stage in Google parlance, we do not have any word on pricing, although Gigabit Internet-only costs $70/month while Gigabit Internet + TV package will cost you $130/month. Could Google Fiber Phone push that monthly total to $150? We’ll have to just wait and see.