Comments on: VK Mobile Eats Dust, Pantech, Helio Next?

By: Tai

Tai — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 15:50:58 +0000

I think that another article I read sums it up the best… If you’re a new company, trying to target a particular market, whether it be a youth market or not, you have to make it as appealing as possible. Think about it, you’re not just after new subscribers, you’re asking for people who already have a plan to pay an early termination fee and migrate to your service. Had they come out with a $40, or $50 plan with a standard 500 a/t mintues, free n/w, and they’re unlimited internet access, then people would have definitely been more enticed by this brand new company. The phones are already cool. I think the execs got it all wrong.

By: Jesse Kopelman

Jesse Kopelman — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 22:07:12 +0000

Actually Matt, youth want expensive phones and plans — it’s just a matter of getting mommy and daddy to pay . . .

By: Matt Maier

Matt Maier — Sun, 09 Jul 2006 18:43:26 +0000

MVNOs are undoubtedly an ugly business for everyone but the landlods (i.e., Sprint, VZ Wireless), but there are scores of contract manufacturers for Helio to choose from, so it’s hard to imagine the loss of VK being a serious blow to Helio’s chances. What’s for more problematic is Helio’s muddled marketing message and high costs. What they’ve yet to figure out is who, exactly, their target customer is. If it’s the youth market, why the high data costs and expensive phones? You get the picture…