Sprint picks WiMax August 8, 2006
Posted by Chetan in : 3G, AORTA, Carriers, Infrastructure, US Wireless Market, WiMax , 1 comment so farIn what would be an important moment in WiMax’s lifecycle, Sprint is likely to choose WiMax according to WSJ. Sprint Nextel Corp. is expected to announce as early as today it is choosing a nascent technology known as WiMax to build a new wireless Internet network in the coming years, people familiar with the matter say. The move would mark a significant win for backers of the new technology, such as Intel Corp. and Motorola Inc., while it would be a setback for wireless pioneer Qualcomm Inc, which is behind a rival technology.
Mobile Search August 7, 2006
Posted by Chetan in : 3G, AORTA, Mobile Search, Strategy, US Wireless Market, Unified Messaging , add a commentMMA released their findings from a research study on Mobile Search http://www.mmaglobal.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=72
The study’s key findings include:
• Mobile search is in its early stages of adoption, but there is significant upside potential. Thirty-one percent of respondents used mobile search for the first time in the past month. Current users conducted an average of nine searches in the past month.
• Cell phone owners who aren’t aware of mobile search recognize its benefits after they’re introduced to the technology. Half of non-users were interested in trying mobile search over the next few months. Forty-eight percent of non-users expect to start using mobile search at least once per week.
• Approximately 41% of all respondents indicate that sponsored links would not have an impact on their use of mobile search.
• Current mobile search users represent several attractive market segments for advertisers. Respondents with an annual household income of $50,000-$75,000 conduct an average of almost 16 searches per month, the most of any demographic segment. Consumers age 45-54, college grads and people with children at home all reported using search more than 11 times per month.
• Sixty-nine percent of respondents prefer advertisements that are related to local products and services.
• The ability to search by voice was the top-rated feature. Thirty-seven percent of current mobile search users would be “a lot more likely” to use mobile search if voice control were added.
Apple’s iCar Strategy August 6, 2006
Posted by Chetan in : 3G, AORTA, US Wireless Market , add a commentApple has really executed its iPod strategy very well. To lock-out competitors including Zune out of the market, they have now teamed up with the car manufacturers. Other car-based businesses (media centric) are also under threat (the likes of XM). A wireless iPOD becomes a connection to the world and there are host of apps that can be deployed (but Apple would need to open up the APIs to attract developers).
iPod and computer maker Apple Computer Inc. said Thursday it teamed up with Ford Motor Co., General Motors Corp. and Mazda Motor Corp. to make iPods compatible with 2007 model car stereo systems.
The company said that more than 70 percent of 2007 model U.S. automobiles will offer iPod integration.
Ford said that the 2007-models will have built-in auxiliary audio-input jacks for the iPod included in a variety of its cars, including the Explorer, Expedition, Mustang, and Mountaineer. It will also begin to offer its own stereo system, “Ford’s TripTunes,” which will allow drivers to recharge the iPod while listening to it, or to select music on the iPod using controls on the steering wheel
Amp’D teams up Telus August 4, 2006
Posted by Chetan in : 3G, AORTA, ARPU, Carriers, MVNO, US Wireless Market , add a commentSmart move from Amp’D. Instead of dueling it out with the fellow MVNOs, try things in a market where things are less competitive.
Amp’d Mobile, a virtual mobile network operator that offers a youth-targeted, entertainment-focused phone service, announced on Friday that it has partnered with Canadian telco Telus to sell Amp’d-branded services in Canada. As part of the agreement, Vancouver-based Telus Ventures has made a $7.5 million equity investment in the company. Los Angeles-based Amp’d has deals to distribute mobile entertainment content from over 200 firms, including MTV and Universal Music Group, to its subscribers. The Canadian Amp’d service is expected to launch in early 2007.
Sprint/Time Warner JV
Posted by Chetan in : AORTA, US Wireless Market , add a commentThere is increased activity between wireless, wireline, and cable companies. Sprint Nextel announced a major five-year agreement to expand on its joint venture with Time Warner Cable. The deal sees Sprint provisioning the cable MSO’s “digital phone service” in an additional 14 service areas. The companies also claim that Time Warner will soon use Sprint Nextel’s IP network to offer VoIP services across most of its footprint, an approximate 28 million homes. Sprint currently services more than 1.2 million VoIP subscribers for cable companies and over the next year it expects to push that figure up to 2.5 million VoIP subscribers.
Alltel Numbers August 3, 2006
Posted by Chetan in : 3G, AORTA, ARPU, US Wireless Market , add a commentAlltel’s the number 5 US carrier reported its 2Q numbers. Its strong wireless growth was responsible for higher quarterly profit as the operator added 146,000 new new wireless subscribers in the second quarter and posted lower churn. The regional operator’s churn measured 1.47 percent. Average revenue per wireless customer (ARPU) was $52.54, a 4 percent increase, while data revenue per customer was $3.26, a 61 percent increase. Alltel said data ARPU represented 6 percent of total ARPU. Alltel spun off its landline phone unit two weeks ago so it could focus on the wireless business.
US Wireless Data industry growing strong
Posted by Chetan in : 3G, AORTA, ARPU, US Wireless Market, Worldwide Wireless Market , add a commentTop 3 carriers have announced their results for 1H of the year and the wireless data market looks pretty robust. Last year US market did about $8.6B in data revenues. As of June, we are already over this number with the top 3 carriers contributing over $5.5B to the industry revenues. It is quite likely that we will again double the total data revenues in 2006. Foreign markets should take note.
Sprint Nextel’s Numbers
Posted by Chetan in : 3G, AORTA, ARPU, Carriers, US Wireless Market , add a commentARPU $62, Data ARPU $7.25. Slower growth than expected. Verizon did really well this quarter with industry leading 13% revenue from data services and topping $1B mark from data revenues.
They also announced today that it is ahead of plan for the expansion and evolution of the Sprint Power Vision(SM) network — covering 153 million people — that allows users to access audio, video and data applications with handheld and connection card devices. Under the accelerated schedule, Sprint plans to begin its roll out of the upgraded technology known as EV-DO Revision A during 4Q 2006 with coverage expected to reach more than 40 million people by year end.
With the evolution to EV-DO Revision A, users in markets where it is rolled out, will experience faster average download speeds of 450 - 800 kbps; and average upload speeds of 300 - 400 kbps. These data rates can enable richer applications and services such as high-speed video telephony, music on demand, video messaging, large file uploads and high performance push-to-talk capability.
Overall, Sprint plans to reach more than 200 million people in the U.S. with mobile broadband data services (both EV-DO Revisions 0 and A) in 220 major metropolitan areas and 908 airports across the country with its Power Vision network by the end of 2006. By 3Q 2007, Sprint’s Power Vision network will be completely upgraded to the faster EV-DO Revision A.
Growth in African market August 2, 2006
Posted by Chetan in : AORTA, Worldwide Wireless Market , add a commentDuring 2004 and 2005 Africa saw overall mobile market growth surge forward faster than any other continent in the world, almost doubling the size of the entire African market in those 2 years, and that growth should continue for some time. As
Africa relieves its debt burden, continues to liberalize its telecoms markets and open up to further competition and foreign investment, the mobile sector will be a vital component of future growth on the continent.
Africa is a vast market of almost 900 million people, and just 14 percent of them currently have a mobile phone.
2005 was a significant year for the mobile industry in
Africa, as the market passed the all important ‘100 million subscribers’ milestone. By the end of 2005, the African continent is home to a little over 113 million mobile subscribers, but the region is set to see significant growth in mobile subscribers between 2006 and 2011. Whilst Asia will see the greatest number of net additions over the next 6 years, Africa will emerge as the fastest growing mobile market in the world, with total mobile subscribers in the region expected to increase at a CAGR of approximately 22.2 percent during the period from 2005 to 2011, resulting in a mobile subscriber base of 378.62 million by the end of 2011.
Mobile penetration across most of the region is still quite low despite the fast growth in recent years. Overall, the region had a mobile penetration rate of 10.3 percent at year-end 2004, rising to approximately 14.3 percent by the end of 2005. Penetration is forecast to rise to 41.8 percent by the end of 2011. This report offers you a snapshot of the African mobile market during the second half of 2005 and offers forecasts for growth across the continent.
http://www.portioresearch.com/africa_opps.html for further details.
Verizon becomes the first US carrier to cross $1B in wireless data revenues (per quarter) August 1, 2006
Posted by Chetan in : 3G, AORTA, ARPU, Carriers, US Wireless Market, Uncategorized , add a commentVerizon Wireless beat all analyst expectations by reporting second-quarter wireless data revenues of more than $1 billion, the first time the carrier has passed that milestone. The data figure represents almost 13 percent of the company’s service revenues, a 7 percent jump from the same period last year. Verizon also netted 1.8 million customers during the quarter, bringing its total to 54.8 million, second only to Cingular Wireless.
These are some very positive figures for Verizon, which has been quietly revamping much of its data strategy in the last few months. Its BREW-based walled garden approach has been criticized for being too restrictive on commerce, particularly by entertainment industry executives. But services like the VCast Music service (which just dropped its monthly fee) don’t rely on the content delivery system, and the new tack seems to be bearing fruit.
In comparison, DoCoMo reported $2.64 in data revenues this quarter. Quite a room for growth if one pursues the right strategies.
