TechRetold

Now you need a mobile phone with text messaging facilities to create a new Gmail account. Yes, at least that is the case for some users who try to open a new account.

Google has introduced some sudden new changes in Gmail account creation. In a move to fight bogus and spam email addresses, Google requires verification of your account through mobile phone. According to the new rule, Google will send a verification code via SMS to your mobile phone. Your account will be created only if you enter the verification code sent to you as text message.

This SMS account verification has been introduced only recently by Google. You can find more on this in Google’s page on creating a new Google Account.

What about those who don’t have a mobile phone? No excuses. You NEED to have a mobile to be eligible to use Google. If you don’t have one, better find a friend who can spare one for you. This is Google’s stand on the whole issue:

“ If you’d like to sign up for a Gmail address, you need to have a mobile phone that has text-messaging capabilities. If you don’t have a phone, you may want to ask a friend if you can use his or her number to receive a code.”

In an age of everything web, this is certainly an obstacle for new email users. Gmail by invitation is better than this. Why is Google making mobile phone a priority to have a Google account? Bogus. Spam. It says. Cannot the web giant find another way to fight bogus and spam? No comments, from Google.

This move is definitely going to make Gmail precious again. We wonder if this move is to make Google Wave more precious.

Google – out of reach to millions: Now Gmail account would become a costly affair with web users. At least for those in developing countries. Take for instance, a country like India with 1100 million people. A Wikipedia stats about the mobile connections in the country says:

Total mobile connections: 441.66 million
Monthly new connections: 14.38 million

According to this stats, on an average, about 50% of the 1100 million do not have mobiles. But, another study says that about 100 million (out of 600 million) will have access to Internet in schools, colleges and other institutions. Most of this group are students. Though all the 50% may not use the web, Gmail would still be out of reach to many – like students, work at home mothers and other less privileged (and all those who do not own mobile phones). In which case, many would switch to Rediffmail or Yahoo! Mail, the other two popular email services in India.

An interesting fact is, Facebook had the intelligence to release Facebook Lite in India. But Google has the ‘intelligence’ to keep itself out of reach to millions. In fact, Google is hinting at a new rule – Google usage is only for those who have mobile phones.

(Note: This mobile phone verification happens only on a random basis. The author experienced it in India. If you face this in your country, do not hesitate to share it in the comments section).