Google’s introduction of Google Talk instant messaging and chat in August 2005 unleashed a huge buzz of speculation. Our take: Google is about to shake up the telecommunications industry. Google will become a major player in telecommunications by offering free VOIP from a brand that matters. Google will expand its networking infrastructure to support multimedia traffic. Google Talk has the potential to become the preferred communications medium for people all over the world. The Trojan horse behind Google Talk is Gmail. Google wants to become the world’s preferred email provider. But, these new offerings are going to trigger even more privacy and “big brother” concerns. Yet, Google is likely to win the hearts and contact lists of consumers who are willing to trade off convenience and access for privacy. What else? Google may offer Web conferencing services that could rival those from existing players.