mobile internet service

Mobile Internet usage booming in emerging markets

Phil Goldstein — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 11:46:02 -0500

Emerging markets are turning out to be hotspots for mobile Internet usage, as markets in Asia, especially in countries like Indonesia, see booming growth. Article (sub. req.)

Non-handset revenues to exceed $90 billion in 2013

Phil Goldstein — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 10:55:38 -0400

Mobile Internet peripherals will account for more than $90 billion of worldwide revenue for mobile operators in 2013, according to a new report by ARCchart. The peripheral category that the report talks about includes data cards, ultra-mobile PCs and other M2M devices. ARCchart also said that the gross number of units would grow dramatically, from 10 million units in 2007 to 370 million units in 2013. Article

Nokia's just following Apple to the bank

Wed, 12 Dec 2007 06:59:59 -0500

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Nokia's just following Apple to the bank

When a reporter from a German newspaper asked Nokia's CEO Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo whether Nokia would demand a percentage of sales from its carrier partners like Apple does, Kallasvuo more or less said "No, not like Apple does."

"As far as mobile phones are concerned we are sticking with our old business model--that is, we get paid for our devices," Kallasvuo told the newspaper, Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung. "But for providing new services we are seriously considering a shared turnover model."

Nokia has become increasingly bullish when it comes to mobile Internet service offerings: the company just launched a new mobile streaming video service called Medeo. It also recently announced an unlimited mobile music download service called Nokia Comes With Music. The services launched after Nokia announced its new Ovi mobile Internet services platform.

The suggestion that Kallasvuo's "new" strategy for revenue share agreements with carriers is largely thanks to Apple's watershed deals with AT&T, O2 and others is rather far-fetched. Sure, Apple's rumored 30 percent cut of iPhone revenue marked a change in not only how deals between device makers and carriers share revenue, but also in how much the device maker gets. But Nokia is not lock-step behind Apple on this one.

Kallasvuo clearly states that he's not looking to change his existing business model for handset sales, and while he mentions that Nokia is considering a "shared turnover model" for services, that sounds like a revenue share agreement, which most mobile content service providers ink with carriers. Apple's iPhone deals bring the company an unconfirmed percentage of revenue from each iPhone customer on its carrier partners' networks. Nokia is simply saying that they want to share revenue from subscribers who use Nokia's services.

So, Nokia does not look to be following Apple's lead when it comes to the "how to" of structuring deals with carriers. We'll have to wait and see if Nokia follows Apple on the "how much."

What do you think? Will Nokia really follow Apple's lead or is it just looking for more lucrative rev-share deals? -Brian

Metric: 45% of U.S. subs want better mobile Internet

Mon, 01 Oct 2007 06:59:54 -0400

According to a recent report from the Kelsey Group and ConStat, 44.7 percent of U.S. mobile users will consider mobile Internet capabilities as a key factor when they purchase their next handset. Only 26 percent of mobile users currently sign up for mobile Internet service.

"The combination of unlimited data plans and next-generation Internet-enabled mobile devices, like Apple's iPhone, suggests mobile Web access will grow to become ubiquitous," said Matt Booth, senior vice president and program director, Interactive Local Media, The Kelsey Group. "Growing mobile Internet usage and increased satisfaction with mobile Internet applications are among the converging factors that we believe point to a breakthrough year ahead for mobile ad adoption."

For more on this report:
- read the release

Skype: Market not ready for wVoIP

Thu, 11 Jan 2007 19:01:36 -0500

Skype's Eric Lagier, who heads up business development, said high data charges are the biggest barrier facing widespread uptake of wVoIP. The comment throws cold water on the growing speculation surrounding the release of Skype software for Nokia's 3G phones, which many attributed to Skype's getting bullish about wVoIP. Lagier is concerned that promoting mobile Skype as free will create backlash from the potential user base once it receives an outrageous mobile data bill for using it. Analysts point to U.K. carrier 3's recent move to offer unlimited mobile Internet service for a mere £5 a month as a step in the right direction toward a market friendly to wVoIP.

For more on mobile Skype:
- see this article from VNUnet.com
- more coverage of this at FierceVoIP

SPOTLIGHT: T-Mobile in hot water over advertising in the U.K.

Wed, 08 Mar 2006 19:01:25 -0500

What, an operator is in trouble for exaggerating service coverage? It can't be true. The U.K.'s Advertising Standards Authority is reprimanding T-Mobile for making exaggerated claims about its Web 'n' Walk mobile Internet service. Orange objected to the carrier's use of the advertising slogan: "The Internet, wherever you are." Orange said that was a bogus claim given the fact that T-Mobile's 3G data services only covered 85 percent of the U.K. Maybe T-Mobile should come up with something like: "The Internet, in some of the places you are." Of course, that could be the tagline for every 3G provider for quite some time. The U.K.'s Advertising Standards Authority scolded T-Mobile just last month for another commercial featuring a woman holding a baby while driving. Article

SPOTLIGHT: Walk'n'Web can't compete with broadband

Thu, 06 Oct 2005 20:01:25 -0400

T-Mobile Europe's CEO Rene Oberman suggested that the company's mobile Internet service, Walk'n'Web, will surpass broadband speeds once HSDPA launches next year. However, HSDPA will provide little more than 1.8 Mbps and that's only on downloads within a few feet of the 3G phone mast. A recent study by Analysys argues that if 40 percent of subscribers watch eight minutes of video per day on their mobile phones, the data requirement would exceed capacity on 3G networks. The upload speed will be similar to fax speed at 64 Kbps. Article

T-Mobile launches Web'n'Walk mobile Internet

Wed, 05 Oct 2005 20:01:36 -0400

Following O2's release of its i-mode mobile Internet offering, T-Mobile launched its Web'n'Walk mobile Internet service. The offering boasts regular viewing of Web sites, not downsized mobile handset versions of them. Web'n'Walk is an open access service, as opposed to the walled garden approach employed by the i-mode and recently ditched by 3. T-Mobile also plans to offer high-speed broadband (HSPDA) to Web'n'Walk subscribers starting early next year. The service is also available for business customers under the "Office in your pocket" handle.

Subscribers can access 2G, 3G, and WiFi services using the Web'n'Walk. The service's 40MB of data downloads has three monthly pricing plans: 100, 200 and 400 minutes for £30, £38 and £55, respectively. Additional data downloads run an extra £1 per megabit.

For more on the Web'n'Walk mobile Internet:
- check out this article from silicon.com

Orange, Netsize partner to develop new mobile apps

Sun, 21 Aug 2005 20:01:36 -0400

Orange UK has agreed to partner with Netsize to develop new mobile content services from leading global brands. Orange and Netsize already have an SMS partnership. Netsize's Mobile Internet service allows carriers to launch mobile content and messaging services. No financial details of the expanded partnership were released.

For more on Orange UK's expanded partnership with Netsize:
- go to this press release

PLUS: AMD launches new processors targeted at mobile gamers. Article

Volantis, O2 launch i-mode Express

Thu, 14 Jul 2005 20:01:37 -0400

Mobile content firm Volantis and UK carrier O2 launched a new service for mobile content publishers to deploy new offerings on O2's i-mode mobile Internet service. The new content service, called i-mode Express, is available now for brands and others looking to launch mobile services on O2's i-mode platform. O2 plans to launch i-mode service in the UK and Ireland later this year and in Germany early next year. Volantis has deployed i-mode content services in France and Spain.

For more on Volantis, O2:
- check out this article from netimperative