CTAM Summit 05: Going For The Quad Play

The triple play – video, data and telephony — is now the quad play as MSOs start to add wireless to the mix. Sprint, and post-merger Sprint Nextel, could be the big winner as the major carrier without plans to compete against cable in video. John Garcia, Sprint SVP-sales & distribution, was the “phone company” rep on the “Put Phone in your Future- Wireline + Wireless” panel and he made a good case for Sprint as the MSOs’ friend, highlighting “naturally aligned strategies, common assets, and a common competitor.”
Sprint is the network-provider for ESPN Mobile and the recently announced Disney Mobile so I was a little confused when Garcia described MVNOs as being “kind of overhyped.” Once he got going, I think what he was trying to say was MVNOs aren’t for everyone. “It takes a unique company,’ he said. “You have to have a strong affinity base and compelling content. You have to know who your customer is.”
Time Warner is trialing wireless with Sprint in Kansas City. In a sign of how quickly competition can change to cooperation, Dale Fox, VP for digital phone at Time Warner KC, showed a commercial poking fun at poor wireless access in the home. When he heard from national that Kansas City would be the first market selling Sprint wireless, “We pulled the ad pretty quickly.”

Our CTAM Summit coverage is sponsored by Maven Networks’ IP VOD Broadband Delivered Video Solution.

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