Let me start by asking few
questions. Out of last 100 text messages sent by you how many messages did you
send through SMS and how many through some messaging application such as
WhatsApp, WeChat etc? If you have to
talk to someone abroad, which option comes in your mind first, calling through
phone or through Skype and GTalk? If I were a telecom operator, the answers to
these questions from most of you would have made me concerned about the future
of my business.
The world is changing, connectivity
options are changing and they are changing fast. Every year new technology,
either in the form of devices or software, take birth and older ones get obsolete.
Consumers’ loyalty lasts only as long as
a new application is launched in the market. In these uncertain times it’s
becoming increasingly difficult for companies to make capital intensive investment. Smartphones have shifted the control operators used to have on consumers from operators to applications developers. Every other company is fighting to grab the attention of consumers by handing them over as many options as possible combined into one. Google+ Hangout clubs voice calling, video calling, group chat, group calling, seamless integration between devices - everything into one. This was never done before by traditional telecom operators.
Basic economics says that a producer produces and sells goods and services to consumer, which pays for it, to the producer. But in Telecom industry a third player has arrived working between the producer and the consumer, taking away all the benefit which ideally should have gone to the telcos. These players utilise the ecosystem created by telecom players to serve the consumers. These services are mostly the ones being provided by the telco as well, thus directly impacting the telco's revenue.
Freebies and changing human expectations, sustainability issues
Basic economics says that a producer produces and sells goods and services to consumer, which pays for it, to the producer. But in Telecom industry a third player has arrived working between the producer and the consumer, taking away all the benefit which ideally should have gone to the telcos. These players utilise the ecosystem created by telecom players to serve the consumers. These services are mostly the ones being provided by the telco as well, thus directly impacting the telco's revenue.
Freebies and changing human expectations, sustainability issues
Technology evolution and survival
of the fittest
No comments:
Post a Comment