Google reaches out to the "next billion"

Google launched a service 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, e-mail 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. 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.