Telecommunications Blog

In 2009, Mobile Phone Market Will Dip 1.9 Percent; Semiconductor Demand Down As Well
Posted by Lane Cooper Jan 2, 2009

Echoing our report on the down-shifting smart-phone market, new published figures confirm that this sector is slowing down. This is having a pull-through effect on the semiconductor market, which is expected to experience multiple years of low demand. While the global economy is responsible for much of this trend, emerging economies are also experiencing maturation. However, the industry will likely pull itself out of the doldrums by 2010.

Things’ll Be Fine in 2009…As Long as We See Beyond our Silo
Posted by Lane Cooper Dec 30, 2008

While 2008 will go down in the books as home to the worst global financial crisis since the Great Depression…let’s face it…2001 hurt our industry a heck of a lot more. My main complaint with 2008 revolves around how much capital was lost in the telecom financial markets, and the potential impact this could have on the industry’s ability to invest on innovation. But beyond that, the year that was, from a telecom transformation perspective, was in fact one to build on.

Smartphone Growth Slows, Maintains Double Digit Gains...Long-Term Strong
Posted by Lane Cooper Dec 26, 2008

While the economy is undoubtedly hampering the short- (and even mid-) term outlook for all aspects of the telecom market, overall growth in the market over the long-term remains solid. Nowhere is this truer than in the broadband mobile eco-system that is made up of developing 3G networks, the evolving 4G environment, and the plethora of innovative handsets that have been stimulated by super-heated competition among the top mobile manufacturers.

Conflicting Projections on Enterprise and Unified Communication
Posted by Lane Cooper Dec 23, 2008

I don’t know if it is a question of having a “glass half-full or half-empty” perspective on the market, but we are getting some conflicting messages from the analyst community on the health of the enterprise telecom space in general -- and the unified communication category in particular.

Will Laptops Join Mobile Phones as Loss Leader for Wireless Services? Hint...YES
Posted by Lane Cooper Dec 19, 2008

For years, wireless service providers have been only too happy to underwrite the cost of a mobile phone in order to cash in on the monthly subscription and traffic fees from end users. It has been your classic win/win/win strategy. Consumers got phones they otherwise couldn’t afford, service providers got subscribers they otherwise would not have gotten, and phone makers closed yet another sale. As wireless broadband catches on fire, laptops and sub-notebook computers may join in on the fun.

What Trends and Customer Attitudes Will Drive Telecom in 2009?
Posted by Lane Cooper Dec 16, 2008

When I was a rookie reporter I was assigned the job of pestering a savvy executive director at a struggling communications association about his plans for the next year. Keen to get me off the phone and proceed to more productive work, he told me: “Son…you can bet we are pursuing change. I have always believed that if you always do what you always did, you’ll always get what you always got…and you can quote me on that.” And so I eagerly did. I was too young and stupid to recognize the cliché. My managing editor caught it though…and laughed me out of the news room for the afternoon. Ever since, I have tried to avoid getting too caught up in the hype of the day.

Overall Business Spending on Telecom Remains Strong in U.S. and Abroad
Posted by Lane Cooper Dec 11, 2008

While the current financial crisis is scaring the pants off of everybody, folks in the telecom industry can take some solace in knowing that demand for communications services is holding steady. Unless, as I have pedantically reported, a service provider continues to bank its future on wireline voice, the outlook for telecom is actually quite bright.

As Traditional Revenue Streams Wane, How Can Service Providers Fight Back?
Posted by Lane Cooper Dec 10, 2008

Much has been written about how new disruptive Web 2.0 entrants into the communications field (like Google, Apple, Skype etc.) are putting downward pressure on traditional, subscription-based revenue streams for incumbent players in the field. To offset this trend, new business models offer service providers a chance to penetrate established markets in their own disruptive manner and recoup revenue that is otherwise being commoditized.

Will Femotocell Technology Come to the Rescue As Wireless Data Demand Surges?
Posted by Lane Cooper Dec 4, 2008

With both businesses and consumers trading their landlines in for wireless broadband communications services and devices, one has to wonder whether pockets of dense urban areas will run into capacity issues. That is one of the reasons why there has been so much interest in femtocell technology. Not only can this technology alleviate digital logjams, but it may expand capacity to enable the delivery of new services.

Corporate Collaboration Continues Ascent – Web 2.0 Drives New Applications
Posted by Lane Cooper Dec 2, 2008

For those who were looking skeptically at the role of Web 2.0 in enterprise networks, fresh evidence indicates that the pace of adoption is not only accelerating, but defining how corporations will collaborate…in the very near future. But not all Web 2.0 bells and whistles will make the final cut.

Global Demand for Location-Based Services Reaches $1.6 Billion in 2008
Posted by Lane Cooper Nov 26, 2008

Remember when letting your fingers do the walking was all the rage? Well, today’s location-based services (LBS) don’t even wait for your thumbs to do the clicking. Proactive services now triangulate GPS, IT and telecom technology to let consumers know when they are passing places of interest, or are approaching somewhere boasting an offer that they just will not be able to refuse. It is already a billion dollar business that is growing bigger every day, everywhere.

Next Gen Services Driving Mobile Market in U.S. and Beyond
Posted by Lane Cooper Nov 24, 2008

Talk – apparently -- is cheap, and no one knows that better than today’s consumers. So mobile phone operators banking on voice services for future revenue may want to hedge their bets by investing in lemonade stands. The rapid adoption of new consumer usage patterns is accentuating the need to switch business models…and do it fast.

Demand for Unified Communications & Collaboration Holds Steady - Tips for Optimization
Posted by Lane Cooper Nov 21, 2008

While nobody is being spared a good beating in the stock markets these days, IT and communications spending are in fact holding fairly steady, demonstrating remarkable demand stability. Enterprise activity around unified communications (UC) in particular shows signs of robust health.

Global IPTV Set-Top-Box Market Approaches Maturity Phase
Posted by Lane Cooper Nov 19, 2008

Hard to believe, but IPTV set-top-box (STB) market is racing past its high-growth phase and is rapidly maturing, as residential adoption around the world hits a saturation point.

Even in Tough Economy, Eco-Sustainability Strong Market Driver in Telecom
Posted by Lane Cooper Nov 14, 2008

We have reached an interesting point in our industrial evolution in telecom, as a growing consensus reveals the false choice of pursuing eco-sustainable initiatives at the expense of profitability. This old way of thinking is joining other aging concepts in the dustbin of history.

Amid Ad Budget Contractions, Mobile Marketing Surges
Posted by Lane Cooper Nov 12, 2008

It seems that marketing is always the first discipline to get slammed when the call to reduce costs is sounded. But here is some very good news for service providers active in multimedia mobile content. While there is evidence of contracting advertising and promotional budgets, one area appears to be poised for growth despite the current economic conditions: mobile marketing.

Obama Telecom Policy: Pro Intervention, Pro Competition
Posted by Lane Cooper Nov 7, 2008

With the national election now decided, the technology and communications industries are scrambling to understand the impact that the new administration will have on their space. While the picture is not entirely clear, one thing is certain. Change is coming to the regulatory environment. Where you stand in the industry will determine if it is change you can believe in.

Texting Out the Vote: Communications Tech Plays Central Role in National Election
Posted by Lane Cooper Nov 4, 2008

I promise I am not going to get political. But it is worth pointing out that beyond breaking the race barrier, cracking the glass ceiling of gender bias, and blowing through an estimated billion dollars in campaign spending, this political season will be remembered for the dominant role that communications technology played in getting the messages out and bringing the voters in.

Cable Edging Out DSL, But Mobile Emerging as Long-term Broadband Winner
Posted by Lane Cooper Oct 31, 2008

As telcos duke it out with cable providers to win the hearts and minds of residential broadband users, the competition is fierce. The clear frontrunners at this point are the cable providers. But before communications service providers start waving any white flags, they should notice that mobile broadband is probably the next meaningful field of battle.

Security Investments to Remain Steady…But is Risk Reduced?
Posted by Lane Cooper Oct 29, 2008

So here is some good news if you are in the risk management and data protection arena in a telco. It looks the financial crisis is not prompting many cuts in security budgets. The bad news, however, is that despite steady investments in information assurance initiatives, risk may actually be rising. The reason: people…lots of them…often ignore security policies.

Managed And Hosted Services Surge Globally
Posted by Lane Cooper Oct 24, 2008

While it is tempting – and often appropriate – to focus on how next- generation services are going to generate future revenues for service providers, it is easy to forget that traditional offerings will for the foreseeable future be responsible for meeting expectations. Many telcos are finding that pursuing managed and hosted services offerings are a great way to leverage their traditional connectivity and traffic management expertise in a new way.

Speech Recognition and Media Conversion Hit Their Stride
Posted by Lane Cooper Oct 21, 2008

Ever since Stanley Kubrick introduced us to HAL 40 years ago in his 1968 masterpiece 2001: A Space Odyssey – people have wondered – perhaps apprehensively – when we would be able to talk to our computers to get things done. The theme was recently resurrected in this year’s Eagle Eye…and like HAL…the ability to talk to machines carried with it more FUD than promise. Science fiction paranoia aside, however, it appears that we are finally seeing some practical…and profitable applications of speech recognition and media conversion.

OSS BSS Software To Play Critical Role in Transformation
Posted by Lane Cooper Oct 20, 2008

Before service providers collect their first dollar, euro, rupee or ruble from investments in new multimedia subscription services and advertising platforms, they will have to figure out how they will provision, collect, and account for a stream of revenue that bears very little resemblance to their current pay-per-minute business models.

Service Providers Shares Struggle, But is There a Silver Lining?
Posted by Lane Cooper Oct 14, 2008

While the past month has been no picnic for any investor, it has been particularly tough in the global telecom service provider sector. Sprint, Telecom Italia, and Quest saw extremely large dips in share price since September 15th, as frightened investors headed for the exits. A credit and liquidity squeeze, many reason, will certainly affect consumer and enterprise communication systems budgets. But at least one analyst thinks the most pessimistic projections are a little overblown.

Global IPTV Subscriptions Generating $4.5 Billion, Yet Some Service Providers Still Wonder...
Posted by Lane Cooper Oct 9, 2008

Internet protocol television (IPTV) may represent the most dramatic transformational opportunity for traditional service providers around the world. But while the potential upside of replacing traditional connectivity revenues with content delivery and advertising fees is great, so is the investment of time, money and intellectual elbow grease that telecom carriers will have to apply to be successful.

• January 2009
• December 2008
• November 2008
• October 2008
• September 2008
• August 2008
• July 2008