3 alliance with Google to bring mobile cloud to small firms


23 Sep 2010

Mobile operator 3 Ireland has signed an agreement with search giant Google to provide cloud computing bundles to small businesses and give them access to technology only affordable to large companies.

The offer, which is exclusive to 3, includes the Google Apps suite of communication and collaboration tools, a free mobile handset and dongle from 3. 

With costs starting at €7 per user per month, companies can save up to 84pc on their IT expenditure, while benefiting from Google’s extensive security measures and 24/7 technical support.

With more than 130 new features introduced only last year, Google Apps benefits from constant innovation and offers including:

·        Gmail with 25GB of storage per account and integrated IM (Google Talk)

·        Google Calendar, which allows users to easily share their calendars with others to efficiently co-ordinate schedules, as well as organise events and meetings

·        Google Docs, allowing users to create, edit and share documents, presentations and spreadsheets in real time

·        Google Sites, an application that makes creating a website as easy as editing a document

·        Google Video for Business, which makes company content and communication more personal, visual and engaging. 

“Our goal is to continually strive to provide competitive offers for our customers,” said Damien Gallagher, director, Business and New Initiative, 3 Ireland.

“This meeting of two brands dedicated to innovation and positive user experience is exciting and we look forward to continuing to support our business customers with compelling cost-focused products that are complimented by excellent customer service,” Gallagher said.

The offer is based around Google Apps and includes a free phone on the Business Solo and Sharer tariffs and a free dongle on the broadband plan.

Handsets include the latest 3 business mobiles, including the HTC Wildfire, which operates on the Google Android platform.

Communicate and collaborate

Earlier this week, Google revealed that 3 million organisations and 30 million users depend on its messaging and collaboration tools.

“With more than 2 million businesses around the world already enjoying the benefits of Google Apps, we are committed to helping companies improve the way their employees communicate and collaborate,” said Neil Delaney, head of SMB Sales & Operations, Google Enterprise EMEA.

“We welcome this opportunity to work with 3 to offer Irish SMBs access to innovative, reliable, secure and cost-efficient IT tools, which can transform their businesses, allow them to remain competitive and benefit from a new way of working that cloud computing brings and which, we believe, is the future of IT,” Delaney added.