Monday, March 3, 2003
Say "Ciao!" to The Obvious Opportunity
Posted by Andy Sjostrom in "THOUGHT" @ 06:11 AM
The third generation (3G) mobile networks are silently being rolled out throughout Europe. The first commercial network is estimated to be in use within two months in Italy. Networks in Sweden will go live a couple of months after that. I recently learned that the construction and installation of the new base stations in Sweden use as much steel as the entire car industry in Sweden. While it may say more about the Swedish car industry than the new base stations it still says some, given that we still make Volvo and SAAB.
Regardless of all the hype and futuristic fantasies that these new networks have inspired, we will see improved bandwidth and with improved bandwidth new ways of using wirelessly connected devices. As Microsoft struggles in trying to get in the game, I think Microsoft should view this network shift as a significant opportunity. In fact, I can't think of one bigger opportunity than this. Here it goes:
The first to make devices, available at or near launch, to take advantage of these networks will enjoy a major portion of media coverage, branding and awareness. It is not uncommon that mobile operators organizes auctions of the first few 3G phones for the networks and then forwards the surplus to charity. The first 3G phones, the auctions, the roll out, the first months of sales and device delivery attract attention that will be more difficult to get later in the game. The 3G roll out has not been a secret. As Microsoft seeks to get more credibility in this market and wants to act as the new kid on the block it would be a crying shame if Microsoft didn't play any part of the soon-to-be-thrown roll out parties.
I realize that many users don't even have access to 2.5G (GPRS) networks and that for them 3G devices are just "fun to read about" at best. Therefore I think that the 2.5G (GPRS) related efforts Microsoft is focused at right now are great and need to be sustained. But as a company that needs to be noticed in a new market, that has said that users want a richer and Internet connected mobile device experience and that has said that it is cheaper, easier and faster to build new devices using off-the-shelves components rather than from the ground up, I do hope Microsoft says: "Ciao!" to this obvious opportunity rather than: "Let's wait and see!"
Regardless of all the hype and futuristic fantasies that these new networks have inspired, we will see improved bandwidth and with improved bandwidth new ways of using wirelessly connected devices. As Microsoft struggles in trying to get in the game, I think Microsoft should view this network shift as a significant opportunity. In fact, I can't think of one bigger opportunity than this. Here it goes:
The first to make devices, available at or near launch, to take advantage of these networks will enjoy a major portion of media coverage, branding and awareness. It is not uncommon that mobile operators organizes auctions of the first few 3G phones for the networks and then forwards the surplus to charity. The first 3G phones, the auctions, the roll out, the first months of sales and device delivery attract attention that will be more difficult to get later in the game. The 3G roll out has not been a secret. As Microsoft seeks to get more credibility in this market and wants to act as the new kid on the block it would be a crying shame if Microsoft didn't play any part of the soon-to-be-thrown roll out parties.
I realize that many users don't even have access to 2.5G (GPRS) networks and that for them 3G devices are just "fun to read about" at best. Therefore I think that the 2.5G (GPRS) related efforts Microsoft is focused at right now are great and need to be sustained. But as a company that needs to be noticed in a new market, that has said that users want a richer and Internet connected mobile device experience and that has said that it is cheaper, easier and faster to build new devices using off-the-shelves components rather than from the ground up, I do hope Microsoft says: "Ciao!" to this obvious opportunity rather than: "Let's wait and see!"
