Posted on September 3, 2008, at 9:15 AM .
Considering that RIM has pimped out their Facebook application across all carriers in North America, it’s likely that you’ve accessed a social network via your BlackBerry (although we prefer m.linkedin.com, and are patiently waiting for a native BlackBerry app). Analyst ABI Research speculated earlier this week that by 2013, there will be more than 140 million mobile social network subscribers worldwide, and generating subscription revenues in excess of $410 million. To put these numbers in perspective, that’s more than the current worldwide unique visitor numbers of either MySpace or Facebook, which hover somewhere around 115 million.
The question to be asked is where all that money will come from — both MySpace and Facebook currently have mobile web-accessible versions of their sites, and the aforementioned BlackBerry Facebook app costs you nothing but time and data. ABI Research speculates that the revenue come not via advertising, but through a subscription model for social network access, likely in the emerging markets of Brazil, Russia, India, and China.
Here’s a question (or two): how much would you pay to use a BlackBerry Facebook app per month? How much for a LinkedIn app?
(via CN)
Posted on August 27, 2008, at 9:16 AM .
With the aid of Rogers’ Q2 financial report and some trusty pie chart skills, some folks at Wireless North put together the numbers which constitute Rogers’ $75 average monthly revenue per user.
General overhead, shiny offices, salaries etc: $30
Cost of sales (Direct costs, electricity bill for those towers etc.): $7.69
Marketing (You might have seen some): $7.44
Depreciation (Infrastructure cost of the network): $6.06
Debt (interest on loans for past spectrum auctions and investments): $3.55
Profit (before taxes): $27.89
Yep, a little over a third of that monthly bill goes right into Ted’s coffers. Just a friendly reminder before anyone gets too angry at Telus or Bell for charging for incoming SMS messages.
(Wireless North via MobileSyrup)
Posted on August 26, 2008, at 8:04 AM .
The latest report from mobile advertising agency AdMob ran through some numbers based on the four billion ads they’ve served up. As you can see, Nokia remains top dog in mobile browsing activity, capturing a solid 34% of the global share thanks primarily to heavy adoption in Africa and Asia, followed up closely by Openwave (AKA WAP) at 29%. BlackBerry took a sad little 3% slice of the pie, right along side Motorola, Palm’s and Apple’s browsers. The BlackBerry 8300 and BlackBerry 8100 are still on the American Top Ten handsets list, though the top four spots are taken by Motorola. Even internationally, the Pearl does alright, getting 9th. place. In terms of geography, Indonesia has seen about ten times more traffic than last year, and Asia on the whole has seen a significant increase in activity.
(AdMob via Electronista)
Posted on August 25, 2008, at 8:22 AM .
Back in 1991, the National Association of Broadcasters attempted to lobby the FCC against pay-to-use news services over cellular networks, which would have been bad news for BlackBerry if it had gone through.
The NAB said that the cellular operators are misusing their spectrum. “Cellular spectrum should be reserved for the two-way communication for which it is designed,” said the NAB. “One-way transmission of news, sports, weather and traffic would be a misuse of this spectrum and a needless duplication of broadcast services.”
Yep, the NAB didn’t want any data services sent over cell networks, which would include that handy push e-mail we all know and love today. Too bad for them that one didn’t pan out, eh? Think they would have smartened up over the last decade? Guess again. They’re still combating the use of wireless white space by Google, Dell Microsoft and others for data services for fear of its interference with existing broadcasting in the spectrum – essentially the same premise as back in ’91. Good luck with that one, guys.
Thanks Josep!
(BNET via Saschameinrath)
Posted on August 22, 2008, at 8:49 AM .
With RIM’s first HSPA (the BlackBerry Bold’s flavour of 3G) device now available internationally, and so many worries about coverage arising, it’s time to take a look at some subscriber numbers. Last year, 11 million cell phones were running on the 3G technology, but now we’re looking at 50 million handsets cruising on HSPA networks. That substantial increase is supported by 191 service providers and over 740 devices.
“These figures highlight the global success of Mobile Broadband and the fact that we are continuing to see greater and greater economies of scale,” said Rob Conway, CEO and Member of the Board of the GSMA. “This is driving down the cost of devices and equipment and enabling more and more users across the world to enjoy easy access to media-rich services anywhere at anytime.”
This gives us a lot of hope for better connectivity on the BlackBerry Bold and future 3G devices, but by the looks of the BlackBerry Javelin and BlackBerry Kickstart, the 9000 may be the only HSPA BlackBerry until the BlackBerry Thunder in mid-October.
(via cellular-news)
Posted on August 14, 2008, at 1:43 PM .
Jim Prentice, Canadian Minister of Industry, recently met up with execs from Telus and Bell to discuss the upcoming $.15 charges on incoming SMS messages. In the end, Prentice, who had previously had serious concerns over the move by carriers has since backpedalled, and is advising unsatisfied customers to find alternatives.
“Given these undertakings by Bell Mobility and Telus, I would encourage consumers dissatisfied with existing plans to seek alternatives. The telecommunications market in Canada is dynamic — choice is available,”
Like who, Rogers? A single alternative isn’t exactly what you’d call choice, let alone personify a dynamic market. To be honest, it’s hardly about finding good wireless rates in Canada anymore, it’s just about finding the one who will screw you over the least. If you’re as unhappy about this as we are, the NDP party is running a petition to fight the new SMS charges. Bell’s charges have already kicked in and Telus will commence the gouging on Aug. 24.
(via CBC)
