Comments on: Why Mobile Operators Can’t Make Services That You Like

By: MDR-TB: The Galapagos Effect in Health Care | Blog | design mind

MDR-TB: The Galapagos Effect in Health Care | Blog | design mind — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 19:07:39 +0000

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By: Mbugua Njihia

Mbugua Njihia — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 19:45:29 +0000

The bottom line: mobile operators need to introduce compelling value-added mobile services fast to avoid other companies taking their users and revenue.Otherwise they will end up being simple data-pipes

By: niti bhan

niti bhan — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 19:17:45 +0000

Hash,

re: myopic and short term, sadly, are such an apt choice of words, its a conundrum really. perhaps this question can be reframed somewhere for all of us to have a conversation thread discussing it, just like your google premium sms one. rather than this post per se, why not frame the essential questions to be debated, along with some referential material, and we hold forth. Who knows, perhaps some operator types might even drop by? ;p

on a similar note, is this interesting blog post, where the writers discuss the unforseen ways people are using mPesa, not even deliberate workarounds, which mean loss of revenue for safaricom. perhaps the answers lie in the “call me back” sms supported by advertising rather than trying to squeeze the last penny out of the average African mobile subscriber
http://www.valuablebits.com/?p=403

By: Nodza

Nodza — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 19:17:43 +0000

Very well done. You’ve articulated, very well, the issue I’m having in trying to develop a web- and sms-based communications platform for the African market. The telecoms I’ve approached seem to miss the point. While I’m trying to lower the user bar as low as possible, they are focused on building in premium services and monetizing every little aspect of it. I appreciate your insights.

By: Mburu

Mburu — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 19:04:55 +0000

Operators are behaving this freely because the end users do not understand their rights in as far as using a service is concerned. How many of us read the EULAs before signing the dotted line? This is where the operators have the last laugh to the banks, as we wait for a service that was never be!

By: Steve Song

Steve Song — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 18:10:38 +0000

You nailed it. Love the “company town” metaphor. If it weren’t for the alternative experience of the intertubes we’d probably all still be drinking the kool-aid.

By: danbaileyuk

danbaileyuk — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 13:32:37 +0000

Great post and I agree, these companies are like ostriches with their heads stuck in the sand… also very similar to the music industry.

By: HASH

HASH — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 12:28:40 +0000

Niti, I agree. What I’m confused about is the (lack of) speed with which they change when faced with changing patterns. I do understand the need for them to want to keep the status quo as it does return higher margins – it’s just myopic and a short-term strategy.

By: niti bhan

niti bhan — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 11:28:29 +0000

What everyone else said. Operators may need to totally revise their approach to their business models as their subscribers increasingly come from lower and lower down the income stream. the old ARPU metric may not apply anymore

By: Joyunspeakable

Joyunspeakable — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 09:06:13 +0000

So true. I like this topic which you have so well quoted here.