Uber and Tesla are at the forefront of a new age of personal transportation in which wireless connectivity will play a major role. Both of these disruptors could be important partners for telcos, while offering lessons about consumer engagement, relationships with regulators and strategic thinking.
Although telcos aren’t generally associated with disruption, many operators around the world have attempted to disrupt adjacent markets, such as digital commerce, entertainment and financial services. In some cases, telcos have even disrupted their core broadband and communications markets. While many of these moves have fizzled out or have flown below investors’ radar screens, several have had a major impact on both the telco’s revenues and relevance. These include SK Planet, M-Pesa, Au Smart Pass and BT Sport. Why do some disruptive moves by telcos succeed and others fail?
The mobile commerce market is going through a critical ‘land-grab’ phase. This report reviews the strategies and tactics of the leading telcos and Internet players in Asia, Europe and North America as they seek to use the mobile medium to become an intermediary between buyers and sellers. It considers the pivotal role of the digital wallet, ‘big data’, the race to acquire merchants and the key alliances between telcos, banks, payment networks and Internet players (December 2012, Executive Briefing Service, Dealing with Disruption Stream)
Digital Commerce Flywheel December 2012
Google’s shares have made little headway recently despite its dominance in search and advertising, and it faces increasing regulatory threats in this area. It either needs to find new sources of value growth or start paying out dividends, like Microsoft, Apple (or indeed, a telco). Overall, this is resulting in something of a strategic identity crisis. A review of Google’s strategy and implications for Telcos. (March 2012, Executive Briefing Service, Dealing with Disruption Stream).
Google’s Advertising Revenues Cascade
In Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google, Skype – the Great Game. Presentation by Horace Dediu, Senior Analyst, STL Partners, covering OS market shares, dynamics, and catalysts of change. Presented at EMEA Brainstorm, November 2011.
OS Wars small STL Partners Nov 2011
In Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google, Skype – the Great Game. Presentation by Keith McMahon, Senior Analyst, STL Partners, covering key patent wars between the leading technology players and telcos. Presented at EMEA Brainstorm, November 2011.
Cloud EMEA Nov 2011 BT Financial Sector
In Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google, Skype – the Great Game. Presentation by Chris Barraclough, Chief Strategist and MD STL Partners, covering some of the key insights from the Telco 2.0 Strategy Report Dealing with the ‘Disruptors’: Google, Apple, Facebook, Microsoft/Skype and Amazon. Presented at EMEA Brainstorm, November 2011.
Cloud EMEA Nov 2011 BT Financial Sector
In theory, Microsoft and Skype have the resources, the brands, the customer base and the know-how to shape the future of telecoms and become a strategic counterweight to Apple and Google. Can they do it – and what should telcos’ strategy be? (June 2011, Executive Briefing Service, Dealing with Disruption Stream).
Microsoft Skype Logo Image Small
Amazon is probably the Internet’s best retailer. As it launches its own AppStore, we provide a detailed analysis of its digital media business and pick out the key opportunities it offers to content owners, network service providers and manufacturers. (March 2011, Executive Briefing Service, Dealing with Disruption Stream).
There’s less than 3 years for telcos to take advantage of key strategic ‘control points’ in their battle for sustainable growth in the communications and e-commerce markets, concluded delegates at the Telco 2.0 EMEA Brainstorm in November. How should they think differently about their value and where do they need to (re)focus their attention? Full report from the Brainstorm. (December 2010, Executive Briefing Service, Dealing with Disruption Stream, Executive Briefing Service)
Amazon’s stock continues to beat the bull market. Its success is based on a four level transformation to a ‘two-sided’ strategy. What are the lessons for would-be platform players in all parts of the Telecoms, Media, Technology sector? (November 2009, Executive Briefing Service, Dealing with Disruption Stream)
An in-depth analysis of Google’s strategy and objectives overall and in particular in relation to the Telecoms industry, with recommendations of where to compete and where to cooperate. (October 2009, Executive Briefing Service, Dealing with Disruption Stream)