Comments on: Carriers Spend Billions on Networks and Millions to Dress Them Up http://gigaom.com/2008/10/16/carriers-spend-billions-on-networks-and-millions-to-dress-them-up/ Trusted Insights and Conversations on the Next Wave of Technology Thu, 26 Nov 2009 06:47:41 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Myriad Acquires Xumii as Phones Get Social http://gigaom.com/2008/10/16/carriers-spend-billions-on-networks-and-millions-to-dress-them-up/#comment-973027 Myriad Acquires Xumii as Phones Get Social Tue, 15 Sep 2009 14:17:03 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=24043#comment-973027 <p>[...] Colin Gibbs | Tuesday, September 15, 2009 | 7:16 AM PT | 0 comments Carriers are increasingly investing in startups in an effort to differentiate their services, and social networks are the primary focal point for [...]</p> [...] Colin Gibbs | Tuesday, September 15, 2009 | 7:16 AM PT | 0 comments Carriers are increasingly investing in startups in an effort to differentiate their services, and social networks are the primary focal point for [...]

]]> By: IBM Shows Telco CEOs Struggling to Adapt http://gigaom.com/2008/10/16/carriers-spend-billions-on-networks-and-millions-to-dress-them-up/#comment-942194 IBM Shows Telco CEOs Struggling to Adapt Tue, 05 May 2009 15:23:21 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=24043#comment-942194 <p>[...] IBM’s Global CEO Study, published last week, is based on interviews with 1,130 executives, and includes a report devoted to 47 CEOs of telecommunications providers. Eric Riddleberger, IBM’s global business strategy leader, who heads up the company’s corporate social responsibility consulting efforts, said rather than competition or regulatory changes, the biggest issue haunting the executives at major carriers is how to keep their businesses from becoming a dumb pipe. [...]</p> [...] IBM’s Global CEO Study, published last week, is based on interviews with 1,130 executives, and includes a report devoted to 47 CEOs of telecommunications providers. Eric Riddleberger, IBM’s global business strategy leader, who heads up the company’s corporate social responsibility consulting efforts, said rather than competition or regulatory changes, the biggest issue haunting the executives at major carriers is how to keep their businesses from becoming a dumb pipe. [...]

]]> By: Always On Real-Time Access » Chetan Sharma Consulting in the news in 2008 http://gigaom.com/2008/10/16/carriers-spend-billions-on-networks-and-millions-to-dress-them-up/#comment-919942 Always On Real-Time Access » Chetan Sharma Consulting in the news in 2008 Wed, 31 Dec 2008 05:21:41 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=24043#comment-919942 <p>[...] GigaOM - Carriers spend billions on networks and millions to dress them up [...]</p> [...] GigaOM – Carriers spend billions on networks and millions to dress them up [...]

]]> By: Quantance Gets $12M to Boost Cell Phone Reception - GigaOM http://gigaom.com/2008/10/16/carriers-spend-billions-on-networks-and-millions-to-dress-them-up/#comment-913645 Quantance Gets $12M to Boost Cell Phone Reception - GigaOM Wed, 19 Nov 2008 15:09:39 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=24043#comment-913645 <p>[...] Capital, the venture arm of the Japanese cell phone giant, could help boost Quantance’s acceptance in the handset market if NTT DOCOMO pushes the chip for its own [...]</p> [...] Capital, the venture arm of the Japanese cell phone giant, could help boost Quantance’s acceptance in the handset market if NTT DOCOMO pushes the chip for its own [...]

]]> By: Brad http://gigaom.com/2008/10/16/carriers-spend-billions-on-networks-and-millions-to-dress-them-up/#comment-910466 Brad Tue, 04 Nov 2008 18:06:43 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=24043#comment-910466 <p>The article suggests that carriers are making VC investments in startups in exchange for exclusive relationships. That rarely happens -- any good entrepreneur (and his VC backers) will not take a strategic investment if it means capping his upside and foregoing scale. There are 700 mobile operators and these startups want to pursue commercial relationships with as many as possible, not just one via an exclusive relationship.</p> The article suggests that carriers are making VC investments in startups in exchange for exclusive relationships. That rarely happens — any good entrepreneur (and his VC backers) will not take a strategic investment if it means capping his upside and foregoing scale. There are 700 mobile operators and these startups want to pursue commercial relationships with as many as possible, not just one via an exclusive relationship.

]]> By: Peter Diedrich http://gigaom.com/2008/10/16/carriers-spend-billions-on-networks-and-millions-to-dress-them-up/#comment-906299 Peter Diedrich Tue, 21 Oct 2008 17:21:25 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=24043#comment-906299 <p>Interesting post. It seems we've come full circle in the carrier space with respect to VC investing and corporate strategic investing in general. When I was a VC focused on telecoms around the 2000 bubble, a lot of carriers shut down their activity and in some cases sold their portfolios or became passive investors with no follow-on activity. Equipment OEMs did the same thing in the telecom space with view to scooping up HW and SW plays that looked like they would translate into new sales to carriers. A few stayed and persevered (like Telus Ventures and T Ventures, a few others), but most did not. It is a good strategy to see new technology and selectively invest, but institutionally backed VCs and startups alike should not equate it to a commitment to anything else but a window on technologies or business models. Let's see, again in the context of a tough capital market environment, how much stomach for these investments the carrier "VC"s will have to be real players.</p> Interesting post. It seems we’ve come full circle in the carrier space with respect to VC investing and corporate strategic investing in general. When I was a VC focused on telecoms around the 2000 bubble, a lot of carriers shut down their activity and in some cases sold their portfolios or became passive investors with no follow-on activity. Equipment OEMs did the same thing in the telecom space with view to scooping up HW and SW plays that looked like they would translate into new sales to carriers. A few stayed and persevered (like Telus Ventures and T Ventures, a few others), but most did not. It is a good strategy to see new technology and selectively invest, but institutionally backed VCs and startups alike should not equate it to a commitment to anything else but a window on technologies or business models. Let’s see, again in the context of a tough capital market environment, how much stomach for these investments the carrier “VC”s will have to be real players.

]]> By: Adrian Hall, Bytemobile http://gigaom.com/2008/10/16/carriers-spend-billions-on-networks-and-millions-to-dress-them-up/#comment-905596 Adrian Hall, Bytemobile Sat, 18 Oct 2008 00:50:58 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=24043#comment-905596 <p>As more consumers purchase smartphones and new data applications proliferate, wireless network operators will be confronted with the dreaded dumb-pipe phenomenon. As Stacey Higginbotham suggests, in order to drive data adoption and avoid commoditization, operators will need to provide actual value to mobile consumers in the form of a personalized experience. In addition to investing in start-ups which would give them exclusive access to new user features, operators will need to offer consumers a customizable experience for their mobile devices. Location-based services, user-generated content, mobile widgets, and navigation toolbars are examples of customizable applications which further enhance the personalization of the user experience.</p> <p>http://www.bytemobile.com/blog</p> As more consumers purchase smartphones and new data applications proliferate, wireless network operators will be confronted with the dreaded dumb-pipe phenomenon. As Stacey Higginbotham suggests, in order to drive data adoption and avoid commoditization, operators will need to provide actual value to mobile consumers in the form of a personalized experience. In addition to investing in start-ups which would give them exclusive access to new user features, operators will need to offer consumers a customizable experience for their mobile devices. Location-based services, user-generated content, mobile widgets, and navigation toolbars are examples of customizable applications which further enhance the personalization of the user experience.

http://www.bytemobile.com/blog

]]> By: Shake, Dictate and Scroll Your Way Through Mobile Menus - GigaOM http://gigaom.com/2008/10/16/carriers-spend-billions-on-networks-and-millions-to-dress-them-up/#comment-905580 Shake, Dictate and Scroll Your Way Through Mobile Menus - GigaOM Fri, 17 Oct 2008 21:10:13 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=24043#comment-905580 <p>[...] summed up the problem faced by carriers who want to find ways to make it easier for consumers to find and access revenue-generating data services such as weather reports, sports scores or video on phones. Phones have limited surface area in [...]</p> [...] summed up the problem faced by carriers who want to find ways to make it easier for consumers to find and access revenue-generating data services such as weather reports, sports scores or video on phones. Phones have limited surface area in [...]

]]> By: G http://gigaom.com/2008/10/16/carriers-spend-billions-on-networks-and-millions-to-dress-them-up/#comment-905510 G Fri, 17 Oct 2008 14:48:34 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=24043#comment-905510 <p>>>AirTel and Innovation. Another oxymoron which will come in top 3, other being: 1. Microsoft works and 2. Yahoo can search.<<</p> <p>Absolute True. Innovation comes from open minded culture and Airtel name comes last in that. However I view shankar's comment in different perspective. Airtel is definetly trying to be more than a bit pipe to increase its hold and they are probably looking for more like minded parterners to achieve that and keep everything inside their walled garden.</p> >>AirTel and Innovation. Another oxymoron which will come in top 3, other being: 1. Microsoft works and 2. Yahoo can search.<<

Absolute True. Innovation comes from open minded culture and Airtel name comes last in that. However I view shankar’s comment in different perspective. Airtel is definetly trying to be more than a bit pipe to increase its hold and they are probably looking for more like minded parterners to achieve that and keep everything inside their walled garden.

]]> By: Anonymous http://gigaom.com/2008/10/16/carriers-spend-billions-on-networks-and-millions-to-dress-them-up/#comment-905491 Anonymous Fri, 17 Oct 2008 12:43:22 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=24043#comment-905491 <p>Actually the article is good on wireless, but the comment caught my eye.</p> <p>AirTel and Innovation. Another oxymoron which will come in top 3, other being: 1. Microsoft works and 2. Yahoo can search.</p> Actually the article is good on wireless, but the comment caught my eye.

AirTel and Innovation. Another oxymoron which will come in top 3, other being: 1. Microsoft works and 2. Yahoo can search.

]]> By: Shankar Saikia http://gigaom.com/2008/10/16/carriers-spend-billions-on-networks-and-millions-to-dress-them-up/#comment-905462 Shankar Saikia Fri, 17 Oct 2008 09:09:41 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=24043#comment-905462 <p>AIRTEL STARTING AN INNOVATION FUND</p> <p>fyi - India's leading wireless carrier announced plans for starting a fund focusing on investing in telco-related tech companies. While wireless carriers do not want to be bit-pipe vendors, not sure if they have the business model to graduate to being more than bit-pipe vendors. They can do it as long as they are willing to invest in their own business infrastructure.</p> AIRTEL STARTING AN INNOVATION FUND

fyi – India’s leading wireless carrier announced plans for starting a fund focusing on investing in telco-related tech companies. While wireless carriers do not want to be bit-pipe vendors, not sure if they have the business model to graduate to being more than bit-pipe vendors. They can do it as long as they are willing to invest in their own business infrastructure.

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