Back to basics for 3UK--focus now on email, VoIP and IM

Having been a pioneer of new mobile services, the CEO of 3UK, Kevin Russell, has reset the company's business objectives by stating there will be less emphasis on developing mobile content, and a greater focus on promoting mobile email, VoIP and IM services.

While admitting that mobile broadband has a very important role to play and presents a huge opportunity for mobile operators, Russell maintains that he does not support the view held by many in the mobile industry that mobile broadband will overtake fixed services. "I don't believe mobile broadband is as good as fixed, and I'm not going to bang a drum and say mobile will replace fixed."

However, the company admitted that data throughput on its network increased sevenfold from October '07 to February '08, and mobile broadband would be a focus area. "But there are some bandwagons 3 is not big enough to jump on", Russell added. "We need to be a more focused company and not get distracted by services such as mobile TV." He also noted that the company would continue to follow an own-brand handsets strategy, as this enabled it to offer more disruptive services such as Skype.

For more on this story:
- read ZDnet UK

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