According to a report in Thursday’s Wall Street Journal, Verizon is on the verge of a deal with Google to supply Web-search services on its wireless network. The ubiquitous Google search bar is already on the iPhone and on a number of Sprint PCS phones.

The deal would give Verizon users a one-stop search screen rather than the layered searches they have today. The state of mobile search is chaotic, as each carrier has implemented its own structure and service. Many users already bypass the carrier search interfaces and log onto Google and Yahoo with phone browsers.

Chris Ambrosio, director of wireless strategies at Strategy Analytics, a worldwide analyst firm, said, “[Wireless] operators need to do more for their customers whether they ever hope to monetize the wireless search market.” He said it makes sense for Verizon to team up with Google, as the search giant already has experience in the wireless market.

Who Owns the documents is Key

Reportedly Google and Verizon have been in

discussions for nearly a year, with ad revenue and search info retention the key sticking points. Although ad revenue is a paltry $200 million across the entire mobile market now, according to industry estimates, that will increase exponentially whether wireless users have better search tools.

Enter Microsoft, Google and Yahoo. Verizon is rumored to have flirted with using Microsoft’s search capabilities before entering into serious negotiations with Google. AT&T wireless is already carrying the Yahoo sort as an expansion of their partnership on the DSL front.

Retention of search notes and who gets it is the real mother lode, however. Vendors can mine the input to not only optimize their search capabilities but plus to better serve up targeted advertisements and gather potentially useful demographic notes. Verizon may be digging in its heels in terms of owning that details, for…

Original post by Mike

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