However, I didn't like how they were assuming that most of the value would be flowing from the application developers via telecom service providers. I believe that the Google ( ...and other yet to be determined "open garden" providers... ) version of LBS will be a much stronger play than those offered by the established telecoms. Google was not listed as a part of ABI's competitive landscape. That is something to be considered when evaluating this particular piece.

Technorati Tags: Telecommunications, Telecom, Location Based Services, LBS, Google

I do not agree with Zittrain's fears about Internet "censorship". However, I do see the possibility of the telecom organizations who want walled garden content and subsidized equipment limiting the access of the Internet. This would get around the Net Neutrality and "open Internet" aspects of FCC rules.

NOTE - I am not quite willing to "give up" on open devices. In particular, I think that Zittrain misses the fact that the recent FCC auction included an open device spectrum and that the Internet has shown that there is always a way to open free distributed content (ie VoIP, Video, etc) past the guards of the walled garden.

Technorati Tags: Telecommunications, Telecom, Jonathan Zittrain, Andrea Seabrook, Walled Garden, Net Neutrality, FCC

• Are the networks of the US ready for the 'always on' iPhone?
• Can "all you can eat" data access plans support this business model?
• Will Americans allow a usage based data plan to come into effect if "all you can eat" doesn't work?

Let me know what you think? Send me an email (John.Myers@BlueBuffaloGroup.com) or post your comments.

NOTE - It appears that the only option is for higher "all you can eat" plans and not for usage plans... Or so says JD Powers...

Technorati Tags: Telecommunications, Telecom, iPhone, Bandwidth Limitations, JD Powers, Billing Plans, All you can eat Billing, Usage-based Billing

Not all organizations have the visibility and the draw of sport to encourage mobile coupons. However, this example shows how if you are offering $5 per interaction with a customer that you can get their attention with specialized offers. Types of interactions like this will push the development of habits that will make mobile marketing and mobile coupons more mainstream rather than simply an unwanted intrusion into a person's day.

Technorati Tags: Telecommunications, Telecom, Erika Janes, Oakland A's, mobile coupons, mobile marketing

However, I am not without balance here.... Nokia posted a less than stellar quarter and their stock price suffered because of it.

NOTE - I agree with Scott Moritz's analysis about the lack of a current touch screen phone from Nokia. It does show an issue with product positioning. But, I'm not sure than anyone really wants to go "toe to toe" with iPhone for high end users. It might make sense to go after lower price point buyers, but at the high price point Apple will hold the high ground for quite some time.

Technorati Tags: Telecommunications, Telecom, Nokia, Motorola, Scott Moritz

"We see prepaid as an opportunity, we felt in the past we left some money on the table."

The North American market has been traditionally a post-paid market. It is "ingrained" into our habits much like "all you can eat" billing for usage. The question is will the declining economic conditions be the motivation for both consumers and telecoms to make a significant change? In order for that to happen, you would need a significant downturn in the economy.... Most economists don't see the economic conditions taking that path. Then again "on the other hand..."

NOTE - I tried to find that classic economist joke about "On the one hand... but then again on the other hand". I will greatly appreciate it if anyone can find a link for that joke and/or the text of that joke. Drop me an email at John.Myers@BlueBuffaloGroup.com or post your comments to the blog.

Technorati Tags: Telecommunications, Telecom, Doreen Toben, Verizon, Pre-Paid, Post-Paid

I believe that all of these issues exist at some call centers. None of this information is new. However, the interesting part, to me, is the aspects associated with the FiOS up-selling and the customer care issues associated with the new technology. It appears that US providers of IPTV are not just having issues with truck-rolls and connecting users to the service. It also appears that billing those services properly is also having issues.

Again, I believe that these are areas where US-based IPTV vendors need to standardize their policies and procedures as well as their technology to properly serve these new markets.

Technorati Tags: Telecommunications, Telecom, Richard Mullins, Verizon, IPTV, Customer Care

On the positive side, I like taking the "reverse 911" concept to mobile and providing text messages to those users in the event of emergency.

However, I see two issues....

1. Should too many of these messages come to mobile phone users, they could lose their impact.
2. Is it possible that established telecoms will use this as a requirement to further hinder the growth of mobile VoIP services similar to how they use 911 services as barrier to entry for wired VoIP providers?

Either from a user perspective or from a barrier to entry perspective, there could be unintended consequences coming from new development.

Technorati Tags: Telecommunications, Telecom, FCC, Mobile Alerts, Amber Alert

The question is how to solve this situation...

I agree that there is probably a government based solution. However, I don't believe that the government should not be setting technology or bandwidth regulation to achieve this solution similar to the USF. And, I believe that the FCC and the local PUCs should use the spread of rural broadband access as the cost of providing certain aspects of higher speeds and potentially ( ...warning! net neutrality warning!... ) quality of service pipes to other consumers.

It is obvious that the current business plan for broadband doesn't make rural based broadband an attractive option. However, for the greater good, government agencies should make a trade off to ensure that this broadband gap doesn't widen AND handicap the growth of other broadband access.

What do you think? Government regulation on bandwidth to rural homes? Or government encouragement to get all Americans broadband covered? Send me an email (John.Myers@BlueBuffaloGroup.com) or post your comments.

NOTE - Wow... that sounded a lot like a "stump speech".... I need to stop watching CNN....

Technorati Tags: Telecommunications, Telecom, Doug Allen, Broadband, Rural Coverage

While the topic was "danced around" in the piece, it needs to be understood that the lack of preparation that often comes with installers on truck-rolls is going to negatively impact the impression of the IPTV product. Yes, it early in the adoption and implementation phases. But, having 3-6 hours of face time with customers should represent confidence in a provider and not leave the impression that they are some-how lucky that there is an image on the TV.

I encourage the telecoms to implement the best practices discussed in Reedy's article before the DirecTv guy shows up and implements in 1-2 hours with similar or better products and services.

Technorati Tags: Telecommunications, Telecom, Sarah Reedy, IPTV, Implementation Times

I particularly liked his posting about how revenue assurance has matured and how it can no longer be viewed as a new "practice". I agree that revenue assurance isn't exactly a new practice. However, there are lots of organizations who are moving from manual and man-power intensive revenue assurance to more automated forms of revenue assurance. While the concepts are the same, I definitely think that there are enough challenges that most organizations who make the shift will think that they are in a brave new world.

Technorati Tags: Telecommunications, Telecom, Eric Priezkalns, Revenue Assurance

In one area, Hamel talked about the false assumption that operational excellence/efficiency equates to strategy excellence. When I read that, I thought of the immortal words from the movie Other People's Money:

"You know, at one time...there must have been dozens of companies making buggy whips. And I'll bet the last company around was the one that made...the best goddamn buggy whip you ever saw." - Larry the Liquidator

This week's news about Motorola splitting their company into separate pieces confirms that while you can run a very operationally excellent business ( ... and what else could you consider the inventors/developers of six sigma ... ) you can in fact run it in a less than optimal direction. Something that I have felt that Motorola has done "very well" for quite some time.

NOTE - You can't a discussion like this with bringing up this quote...

"We're lost but we're making good time." - Yogi Berra

Technorati Tags: Telecommunications, Telecom, Tara Seals, Motorola, Gary Hamel, Strategy, Operational Excellence, Yogi Berra

Amol Sharma and Vishesh Kumar have an excellent article today relating to the potential business drivers and competitive advantages of cable companies getting into the wireless data business.

Do you think that this experience and potential competitive advantage in content management gives the cablecos an advantage over the telcos?

Post your answer to the blog below or send me an email.

John Myers
John.Myers@BlueBuffaloGroup.com

Technorati Tags: Telecommunications, Telecom, Amol Sharma, Vishesh Kumar, Cableco, Telco, Competitive Advantage, WiMax

However.... ( ... and who didn't see that coming... ), Google, who made the most noise and rattled the most cages, appears to have gotten exactly what they wanted: access to wireless spectrum without having to pay for it. It will be interesting to see how the Android OS and handsets start using that spectrum when it is available.

To hear more about the Android OS, Andrea Seabrook has a good interview with Google's Andrew Rubin.

Technorati Tags: Telecommunications, Telecom, Brian Santo , Andrea Seabrook, Andrew Rubin, Google, AT&T, Verizon, FCC, 700MHz Auction

I particularly liked her posting on open source VoIP starting to gain a foothold in the small/medium sized business (SMB) market.

Again, check out Carolyn's stuff. I know that you will enjoy it.

Technorati Tags: Telecommunications, Telecom, Carolyn Schuk, VoIP Princess, Voxilla, VoIP, Voice over IP