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      Key Topics: Applications, Business Models, IP Telephony, Marketing, Mobility, Unified communications

  1. Thoughts on Carrier Evolution

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    1. Wireless Now Drives Business and Consumer Spending

      Explore Thoughts on Carrier Evolution (17 hours, 35 min ago) Business Models
      by Gary Kim (Garykim)

      U.S. businesses will spend $154 billion for telecommunications services in 2012, growing to $184 billion by the close of 2016, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.8 percent over the forecast period,  according to Insight Research.Significantly, business spending for cellular and other wireless services is creating all of the business revenue growth, the firm says.While U.S. business spending for wireline services is essentially flat over the five year ... (Read Full Article)

      Mentions:   Insight Research   Insight Research Corp.

    2. Verizon is Going Over the Top, So is T-Mobile USA

      Explore Thoughts on Carrier Evolution (May 17 2012) Applications
      by Gary Kim (Garykim)

      The Verizon and Coinstar joint venture to create a streaming version of Redbox is part of a pattern at Verizon and elsewhere, namely that over the top services increasingly are being viewed as a way to sell services to “non-customers.”In essence, the new streaming service will reach beyond the footprint of Verizon fixed network customers and appeal to all 30 million Redbox customers who have been renting DVDs from the Redbox kiosks. According to ... (Read Full Article)

      Mentions:   Verizon Communications   Cox Communications   Comcast

    3. Is Unified Communications a Glass Half Full, or Half Empty?

      Explore Thoughts on Carrier Evolution (May 17 2012) Applications , Unified communications
      by Gary Kim (Garykim)

      It never is terribly easy to quantify the size of the unified communications market, embracing as it does so many different communications and collaboration solutions. A new study by CompTIA of 500 executives has found that “collaboration” tools already are highly used by respondent firms, and well understood. About 59 percent of respondents say the concept is well defined, while 80 percent think unified communications has high or moderate value. With the exception of social ... (Read Full Article)

    4. How Robust is Planned Spending on Unified Communications?

      Explore Thoughts on Carrier Evolution (May 17 2012) Applications , Unified communications
      by Gary Kim (Garykim)

      Unified communications has in some ways been a “fuzzy” concept, entailing as it does the unification of devices, applications, network access modes and media types. A new study by CompTIA of 500 executives has found that “collaboration” tools already are highly used by respondent firms. With the exception of social tools, at 36 percent adoption, most constituent forms of unified communications are used by 60 percent to 94 percent of respondent firms. About 33 percent ... (Read Full Article)

    5. Mobile Signaling Load Growing Faster than Bearer Traffic

      Explore Thoughts on Carrier Evolution (May 17 2012)
      by Gary Kim (Garykim)

      While data traffic is growing, signaling traffic is outpacing actual mobile data traffic by 30 to 50 percent, if not higher, 4G Americas says. Mobile network engineers began encountering that problem some years ago, when investigating cases of congestion on cell sites that seemed not to be experiencing especially-heavy demand. As it turned out, signaling operations were causing the congestion, not the bearer traffic. Since then, the problem has grown as more apps aim to ... (Read Full Article)

      Mentions:   Nielsen

    6. Verizon Sees U.S. Economy Flat for Balance of Year

      Explore Thoughts on Carrier Evolution (May 16 2012) Marketing
      by Gary Kim (Garykim)

      "I think the economy is still just kind of moseying along; it is not going down," says Verizon CFO Fran Shammo. "I don't see it increasing and we have predicted that it will just be stable through this year." So, at least at the moment, Verizon does not see any particular economic trends that would affect its business in a positive or negative way. It will just motor along about as it has been ... (Read Full Article)

    7. Twilio Adds Android Support for its OTT App

      Explore Thoughts on Carrier Evolution (May 16 2012)
      by Gary Kim (Garykim)

      Twilio, the over the top voice and messsaging application, now is offered in 12 countries, including 10 in Europe as well as the United States and Canada. WhatsApp, the voice and messaging app that seems to be rapidly eroding mobile service provider revenues in Europe, operates in even more markets. Up to this point, Twilio has focused on iOS apps, but now has launched an Android client. A Windows Phone may be next in line ... (Read Full Article)

      Mentions:   Telefonica   Twilio

    8. Smart Phone Sales Decline: Related to Economy, or Not?

      Explore Thoughts on Carrier Evolution (May 16 2012) Marketing
      by Gary Kim (Garykim)

      To the extent that smart phone sales are correlated with economic conditions, it is conceivable that economic conditions again are taking a toll on consumer spending. According to Gartner, global  sales of mobile phones to end users reached 419.1 million units in the first quarter of 2012, a two percent decline from the first quarter of 2011.Also, AT&T Chief Executive Officer Randall Stephenson recently noted that traditional economic indicators have become less reliable. “I’ve never seen it like this,” Stephenson said. The AT&T CEO means that the indicators are contradictory. “Small business starts are still negative,” he said. “That used to be the early warning indicator.” That suggests there are key economic constraints. But there is strength in some parts of the consumer market. And new home construction is picking up, after a four to five year lull. But he real driver is businesses “hiring and putting people on payroll; that’s when our business catches leverage and starts to take off,” Stephenson said. “We ...

      (Read Full Article)

      Mentions:   AT&T   Randall Stephenson

    9. Text Messaging Inflection Point in Europe?

      Explore Thoughts on Carrier Evolution (May 15 2012) Business Models , Marketing
      by Gary Kim (Garykim)

      There are growing signs of strain even in mobile service provider operations in Europe, it now appears, with one big problem being an apparent massive rate of consumer defection from use of text messaging services.    Telefonica's revenue from European operations during the first quarter of 2012 was down 6.6 percent, following a dip of seven percent in the fourth quarter of 2011. Telefonica's revenue in Spain was up slightly, following a slight ... (Read Full Article)

      Mentions:   Telefonica

    10. 34% Say They Watch More Video Than 12 Months Ago

      Explore Thoughts on Carrier Evolution (May 14 2012) Applications , Marketing
      by Gary Kim (Garykim)

      Consumers still use televisions most often to watch video, according tothe Consumer Electronics Association. Consumers are watching more video than they have in the past, across a variety of platforms, including 34 percent of respondents who say they watch more video content today than they did a year ago. Viewing of television video programming is up 28 percent, with consumers citing convenience and the appeal or variety of programming as the top factors for increased ... (Read Full Article)

      Mentions:   Consumer Electronics Association

    11. Canadian Mobile Ops to Launch Mobile Payments in Mid-2012

      Explore Thoughts on Carrier Evolution (May 14 2012) Business Models , Mobility
      by Gary Kim (Garykim)

      (Read Full Article)

    12. Global Software as a Service Market $14.5 Billion in 2012

      Explore Thoughts on Carrier Evolution (May 14 2012) Business Models , Marketing
      by Gary Kim (Garykim)

      Global software-as-a-service (SaaS) revenue is forecast to reach $14.5 billion in 2012, a 17.9 percent increase from 2011 revenue of $12.3 billion, according to Gartner, Inc. SaaS-based delivery will experience healthy growth through 2015, when worldwide revenue is projected to reach $22.1 billion, Gartner analysts say.North America, specifically the United States, currently represents the largest opportunity for SaaS, and it is the most mature of the regional markets, Gartner says ... (Read Full Article)

      Mentions:   Gartner   Saas

    13. In What Way does Cloud Computing Offer Potential for Service Providers?

      Explore Thoughts on Carrier Evolution (May 14 2012) Applications , Business Models
      by Gary Kim (Garykim)

      One frequently hears these days of high service provider interest in cloud computing as a potential driver of service provider revenue, and the thinking is not without merit. From a communications service provider perspective, one key change is that computing services and applications increasingly are becoming “utility-like.” As much as service providers might prefer not to emphasize the point, the basic character of a communications business is highly “utility-like,” in terms of scale.That doesn ... (Read Full Article)

      Mentions:   Gartner

    14. Are Mobile Service Provider Content Operations "Strategic" or "Revenue Generators?"

      Explore Thoughts on Carrier Evolution (May 14 2012) Applications , Business Models , Marketing
      by Gary Kim (Garykim)

      Mobile carrier NTT Docomo today announced a move in its strategy to grow its content business outside of its traditional base of Japan: it issued a tender offer to acquire Buongiorno, a mobile content company based in Italy, paying up to ¥24 billion ($300 million) for the assets.Docomo notes in a statement that the acquisition would be made by its Germany-based subsidiary, Docomo Deutschland, and that Maruo del Rio, Buongiorno’s majority shareholder and ... (Read Full Article)

      Mentions:   Telefonica   NTT DoCoMo   Bouygues Telecom

    15. FTTH Demand Might be the Issue, Which is Why Supply is an Issue

      Explore Thoughts on Carrier Evolution (May 10 2012) Applications , Marketing
      by Gary Kim (Garykim)

      Comment "The consumer only has a limited budget of disposable income!! Naturally the consumer would like the highest "symmetrical" speeds in ..." - dwillson

      It still is unclear how much demand for 50 Mbps to 100 Mbps broadband access exists, at prices suppliers are willing to offer, in European and North American markets. But we soon will get additional tests of demand. BT's "Openreach" fiber to the home network now has reached about ten million premises across the United Kingdom, ahead of schedule. This is some months ahead of the original deadline for this figure that was the ... (Read Full Article)

      Mentions:   Comcast   Gbps

    16. The Only Reason "Over the Top" Isn't a "Good Thing:" You Don't Own the Business

      Explore Thoughts on Carrier Evolution (May 9 2012) Business Models
      by Gary Kim (Garykim)

      "Over the top" applications nearly universally are viewed as problematic by cable and telco executives, for the simple reason that, up to this point, OTT simply has been a way for third parties to create and deliver value that until now has been the province of service providers.  But it still is worth noting that the main reason OTT is viewed as a threat is that such apps often cannibalize existing revenue streams. That is ... (Read Full Article)

      Mentions:   Telefonica

    17. Amobee Shows What it Takes for a Tier-One Mobile Service Provider to Build a Big Mobile Ad Business

      Explore Thoughts on Carrier Evolution (May 8 2012) Marketing , Mobility
      by Gary Kim (Garykim)

      The typical professional working in the telecom business can be forgiven for not knowing mobile advertising platform Amobee, any more than the typical professional knows all that much about the details of all the other myriad of activities routinely conducted by tier-one mobile service providers globally. But Amobee now is among the best examples of how tier-one service providers can grow a big new business in mobile advertising. First, as often is the case, where ... (Read Full Article)

      Mentions:   Telefonica   Vodafone   Nokia

    18. Smart Phones are the Ultimate "Real Time" Information Device

      Explore Thoughts on Carrier Evolution (May 8 2012) Mobility
      by Gary Kim (Garykim)

      Some 70 percent of all mobile phone owners and 86 percent of smart phone owners have used their phones in the previous 30 days to perform at least one form of real-time activity, according to Pew Internet & American Life Project.  Some 65 percent of smart phone owners say they have used their devices to get turn-by-turn navigation or directions while driving. About 15 percent report doing so on a typical day. Some 41 percent of ... (Read Full Article)

    19. Comcast Leads SMB IP Telephony Ranking, Infonetics Research Reports

      Explore Thoughts on Carrier Evolution (May 7 2012) Business Models , IP Telephony , Marketing , Unified communications
      by Gary Kim (Garykim)

      Some 10 years ago, some executives might have been forgiven for believing that U.S. cable TV operators would not be much of a force in either the enterprise or small and mid-sized business VoIP and IP telephony markets. At this point there is less room to make those arguments. In the hosted VoIP and unified communications services market, Comcast is ranked number one by Infonetics Research. Comcast earned a high overall score of 33 ... (Read Full Article)

      Mentions:   IMS   Comcast   Infonetics Research

    20. “Happy” Customers Churn Almost as Much as “Unhappy” Customers?

      Explore Thoughts on Carrier Evolution (May 7 2012) Marketing
      by Gary Kim (Garykim)

      Most, perhaps all, suppliers seem to believe customer satisfaction is an “important” objective for their businesses.It is simply common sense that unhappy customers are prone to switch their product or service providers. It would therefore seem to be equally good sense that satisfied or happy customers would tend to be loyal to their current suppliers.But there seems to be better evidence for the former than the latter. In other words, consumer unhappiness does ... (Read Full Article)

    21. Has Internet Cannibalized Music and TV? Depends on How You Count

      Explore Thoughts on Carrier Evolution (May 7 2012) Business Models , Marketing
      by Gary Kim (Garykim)

      It might be fair to say the typical person believes that online and Internet delivery of music and increasingly, video, has reduced industry revenue. The actual impact probably has been mixed. Sales of music arguably have declined, at least in terms of physical media and “compact disc” sales, in favor of single songs sold from iTunes and other services.But broader industry revenues seem to be a different story. If one includes live performance revenues ... (Read Full Article)

      Mentions:   Bureau of Labor Statistics

    22. Cloud, Mobile Increase Level of Competition Inside Ecosystems, and With Other Ecosystems

      Explore Thoughts on Carrier Evolution (May 7 2012) Mobility
      by Gary Kim (Garykim)

      It is common these days for industry observers to note that thad devices and applications are competing, to some extent, with service providers. Skype was the app that exemplified the trend, a decade ago. Since then, things have gotten more complicated. Apple’s Facetime essentially competes with other stand-alone videoconferencing services. WhatsApp Messenger competes with text messaging. Much of the disruption, or potential disruption, is happening in the mobile realm, for a number of reasons ... (Read Full Article)

    23. Universal Service Changes Reflect a Changed Business

      Explore Thoughts on Carrier Evolution (May 4 2012)
      by Gary Kim (Garykim)

      One potential mistake regulators can make is “fixing” problems that are about to be fixed by the market, and by consumers, without any intervention. Some would point to the Telecom Act of 1996, which attempted to introduce more competition in local voice services, just prior to a historic peak of landline voice.Depending on whose data one relies upon, voice landlines began a steady decline either in 2000 or 2001. Make no mistake, the Telecom ... (Read Full Article)

    24. Are Service Providers Good at Creating Next Generation Networks?

      Explore Thoughts on Carrier Evolution (May 3 2012) Mobility
      by Gary Kim (Garykim)

      Comment "I would agree that ISDN and ATM were not the successes that were hoped for, but I think you turn ..." - KeithAllen

      Integrated Services Digital Network, B-ISDN (Asynchronous Transfer Mode and Open Systems Interconnect share one key trait. All three were, in their day, envisioned as the “next generation networks” that would replace the Public Switched Telephone Network. ISDN and ATM achieved modest marketplace success, while OSI simply failed. Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol was supposed to be the interim or legacy network that OSI was supposed to replace. Obviously, IP won. Some of us would argue ... (Read Full Article)

      Mentions:   IMS   AT&T   RCS

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