Hey Google, call Alexa! To replace your home phone line?

Hey Google call Alexa!

OK, that probably won’t be a request, but both Alexa and Google Home may be your land line in the near future. The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday that according to “people familiar with the matter”, Google and Amazon are moving towards giving consumers the ability to make phone calls from their respective home speakers. It would seem to be a next logical step for both and customers have been asking for it since day one.

Rumor is that each could have the functionality in place this year, though the stumbling block may be privacy concerns, telecom regulations and emergency services.

Issue one, people may not be comfortable with making calls on devices that can record conversations. Though, in reality, only the metadata would be collected, making the call conversations unintelligible, but perception is reality.

Issue two, would the telecom providers play a role and, if so, what types of agreements would need to be in place?

Issue three, how would emergency services be invoked?

According to WSJ, both companies would use VoIP (voice over Internet protocol), which is the technology used by Skype. But, if they use such existing technology or develop their own from the bottom up, rest assured that the already fading traditional land line would be well on the way to being a complete dinosaur. In my mind, this type of tech is inevitable and if it cannot jump through the legal and technical hurdles in the near term, it certainly will at some point.

We seem to be approaching the Jetson age at an exponential pace and this would seem to be another step in that direction. Meanwhile, I’m still looking for my middle class, flying car. Did I just cross over to the Fifth Element?

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George Hayes

Writer at Bane Tech

Married to my best friend since 1987. We have six grand-children and three great-grandchildren.
Began writing for Bane-Tech August 2014, due to an ever-growing passion for mobile and Android in particular.
Computer programmer 1981 to 2015. Currently retired. Active You Tuber (Mobile Geezer:
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Sax player and singer in various bands (rock and R&R) since the mid 60's. Avid motorcycle rider (Gold Wing), bicyclist and exercise enthusiast. Extreme lover of driving and biking (motorcycle). The more thousand miles the trip, the happier I am as the driver.
Dedicated, Bible-believing Christian who makes no judgments on others .

George Hayes

Married to my best friend since 1987. We have six grand-children and three great-grandchildren. Began writing for Bane-Tech August 2014, due to an ever-growing passion for mobile and Android in particular. Computer programmer 1981 to 2015. Currently retired. Active You Tuber (Mobile Geezer: Twitter - https://twitter.com/MobileGeezer Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mobilegeezer/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/MobileGeezer Google Plus - https://plus.google.com/b/106433550154529693622/?pageId=106433550154529693622). Sax player and singer in various bands (rock and R&R) since the mid 60's. Avid motorcycle rider (Gold Wing), bicyclist and exercise enthusiast. Extreme lover of driving and biking (motorcycle). The more thousand miles the trip, the happier I am as the driver. Dedicated, Bible-believing Christian who makes no judgments on others .