In an effort to dispel rumors and predictions of an MVNO shake-out, some MVNOs are disclosing more of their financial metrics, in particularly ARPU--in the wake of the Mobile ESPN plug pulling. While Amp'd disclosed ARPU of $100 with $30 coming from data services a few months ago following a very cynical report in the WSJ, Helio has remained quiet, until now. The Earthlink-SK Telecom JV claims that its ARPU is also $100, but with $25 coming from data services. While Amp'd has disclosed subscriber number in the past [1] (nearly 50,000 in September), Helio has been less forthcoming. An ARPU rate of $100 is impressive, I suppose, but if you only have a few thousand subscribers it's still small potatoes. The average APRU rate for the big carriers is about $50.
Helio's founder Sky Dayton, never one to mince words, had this to say about the fall of Mobile ESPN: "They basically pinned their hopes on one application and said people will suffer sub par devices and sub par pricing just to get" ESPN content on a phone.
For more on MVNO's ARPU figures:
- see this article [2] from the AP
ALSO: Learn more about Helio's plans for increasing ARPU by using wVoIP at FierceMarkets' second annual wVoIP Executive Summit. Site [3]
Links:
[1] http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/amp-d-reveals-subscriber-numbers/2006-09-07
[2] http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2003306383_btnichecell16.html
[3] http://www.wvoip.com