To avoid becoming pure utilities, telcos must evolve their core businesses into more efficient and flexible infracos. But if they also want to accelerate growth and capture the full value of their network investments, they should strive towards building services businesses and becoming telecom techcos. We explore different pathways leading operators are taking to get there.
A small and surprising set of national operators are delivering outstanding performance in the challenging European market. Our analysis shows how they’re achieving differentiation with smart strategies that target the hottest customer need, and the considerable ramifications for the rest of the market.
Verizon and Comcast have invested in high bandwidth fibre and cable networks, whereas AT&T has until recently focused on U-Verse, an IPTV play. Which strategy is winning out and why? The answer is surprising and may transform the US and other markets, and there are parallels with Apple and Samsung’s ‘deep value’ strategies of investing in assets that are hard to replicate.
Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) such as Akamai’s are used to improve the quality and reduce costs of delivering digital content at volume. What role should telcos now play in CDNs? (September 2011, Executive Briefing Service, Future of the Networks Stream).
Should telcos compete with Akamai?
Innovation appears to be flourishing in mobile broadband. At the Telco 2.0 EMEA Executive Brainstorm earlier this month we saw working applications that enable a.) users to monitor and control their network usage and services and b.) operators to support ‘dynamic pricing’. Despite growing enthusiasm for LTE, delegates considered offloading traffic and network sharing strategies as at least as effective in managing costs. (May 2011, Executive Briefing Service, Future of the Networks Stream) Mobile Broadband Fuel Gauge
By building or acquiring Public WiFi networks for tens of $Ms, highly innovative fixed players in the UK are stealthily removing $Bns of value from 3G and 4G mobile spectrum as smartphone and other data devices become increasingly carrier agnostic. What are the lessons globally? (April 2011, Executive Briefing Service, Future of the Networks Stream).
‘Net Neutrality’ has gathered increasing momentum as a market issue, with AT&T, Verizon, major European telcos and Google and others all making their points in advance of the Ofcom, EC, and FCC consultation processes. This is Telco 2.0’s input, analysis and recommendations. (Sept 2010, Foundation 2.0, Executive Briefing Service, Future of the Networks Stream).
The Executive Summary and extract from a report on key issues for operators seeking to optimise mobile broadband network economics which were debated at the recent Telco 2.0 EMEA Brainstorm in London. (Special Briefing, May 2010, Executive Briefing Service, Future of the Networks Stream).
An introduction to the four strategy scenarios we see playing out in the market – ‘Telco 2.0 Player’, ‘Happy Piper’, ‘Device Specialist’, and ‘Government Department’ – part of a major new report looking at innovation in mobile and fixed broadband business models. (March 2010, Foundation 2.0, Executive Briefing Service, Future of the Networks Stream).
As part of our new ‘Broadband End-Games’ report, we’ve been defining in detail the opportunities for telcos to distribute 3rd party content and digital goods in new ways. (December 2009, Executive Briefing Service, Future of the Networks Stream).
To some, LTE is the latest mobile wonder technology – bigger, faster, better. But how do institutional investors see it? This is a Guest Briefing from Arete Research, a Telco 2.0 Partner. (July 2009, Executive Briefing Service, Future of the Networks Stream).
While the market for mobile broadband services (3G/WiMax/Dongles/Netbooks etc.) is growing explosively, today’s telco propositions are based on out-moded business models which threaten profitability. Telco 2.0 proposes innovative retail and wholesale approaches to improve returns.
Disruption in the online video distribution market presents “a once in a lifetime chance to change their place” for some and a severe strategic threat for others. Likely scenarios and strategies that players should adopt for success. (Executive Briefing, Future of the Networks Stream, Feb 2009.)
Analyst’s review of “Next-Generation Mobile Networks (NGMN) Beyond HSPA and EVDO”, technical requirements framework for vendors. (March 2008, Executive Briefing Service, Future of the Networks Stream).
An edited version of a keynote presentation of results of our Broadband Business Models survey into the industry’s future (November 2007, Executive Briefing Service, Future of the Networks Stream).