3 Group Brings Yahoo! Services to Mobile Customers

On June 29th 3 Group and Yahoo! announced a strategic alliance to bring Yahoo!’s range of Internet services to 3 Group’s customers around the world. Under the agreement, the two companies will work to bring services such as Yahoo! Search, Mobile Web, Messenger, Mail and Go for Mobile to 3’s networks and collaborate on new Yahoo! services for mobile customers. The first services launch in the UK this summer, followed by European and Asia-Pacific market deployments.

Recommended Competitive Responses

► Mobile operators need to embrace mobile search and ensure that it is complementary to their own branded portal services. As yet, major retail brands have not translated into the mobile market; however, the advent of a wider mobile search or dotMobi domain presence could result in more off portal traffic and reduce operators to the dreaded bit-pipe scenario.

► Google needs to drive additional partnerships with mobile operators to define its presence in the mobile search market. However, its high profile and the nature of its deal with T-Mobile could deter other operators from embracing partnerships with the company - perhaps fearing that their services or end user relationships would be harmed by Google’s overpowering brand.

Recommended End User/Customer Responses

► Existing 3 customers should look out for the new Yahoo! icon and explore the new services on offer. Yahoo! fans should also look to migrate to 3 to obtain their favourite service on a mobile handset.

► Customers executing a mobile search should be aware that not all Internet sites currently work well on a mobile device and hence their familiar searches (local restaurants, new and sport) might not work in the same way as from a PC-initiated search. Customers not finding their favourite searches when using the mobile Internet should ensure that they voice their concerns to the site owners and ensure that an adequate mobile presence becomes available.

► Customers should also be aware that the new dotMobi top level Internet domain has been specifically launched to offer sites which are guaranteed to work on a mobile handset. Customers should try entering ‘companyname.mobi’ into their mobile browser to discover a brand’s mobile presence.

TeliaSonera to Launch Xfera in Spain

On June 14th TeliaSonera announced that it had reached an agreement to increase its ownership of Xfera Moviles S.A. from 16.55% to 80%. By acquiring a controlling interest in the company, TeliaSonera will launch mobile operations and it plans to roll out a UMTS network.

Recommended Competitive Responses

► Rivals Telefonica, Vodafone and Amena should look to tie up as many customers as possible on the longest contracts possible, ahead of Xfera’s’ planned launch. With customers tied into long contracts, this restricts their ability to churn, and the contract length gives rivals some added breathing space to build their loyalty.

► Rivals should review their policies and procedures for reducing churn and for building customer loyalty. New operators (such as Xfera) almost always face some initial criticism post-launch and rivals should be ready to exploit these problems and re-enrol dissatisfied customers on favourable terms.

► Rivals should consider speeding up plans to enable MVNOs in the Spanish market. If they can crowd out Xfera’s launch plans with additional competing offers from MVNOs, then this will make it much harder for the new operator to compete directly with established players, leaving Xfera to compete directly with the new MVNOs for new customers.

Recommended End User/Customer Responses

► Ahead of Xfera’s launch, customers of rival networks should look for increasingly enticing offers to maintain their loyalty. Operators will be seeking to build a strong and loyal customer base, and customers should look to exploit this trend to their advantage.

► End users should monitor developments in the Spanish mobile market carefully. With Xfera set to launch around November 2006 and a number of MVNOs promised by 2007, competition should increase dramatically – which can only be good for the customer, by leading to lower prices and more competitive services.

Competitive Intelligence Special Getting Pushy: Gathering Competitive Forces in the Mobile Email Market The mobile email market is now experiencing its first real wave of competition. Once the favourite of corporate IT departments, RIM is now under threat from a number of up-and-coming competitors. A new generation of disruptive players, innovative pricing models and low-cost business solutions have burst onto the scene, seeking to take a piece of RIM’s dominant market share.   Price: $995   In this Competitive Intelligence Special, Current Analysis offers up a unique and detailed insight into some of the most important events and service trends in the US and European mobile email markets in recent weeks. More information

Sybase Launches Its Integrated Mobile Applications, Device and Security Management Suite

On June 26th Sybase announced the Information Anywhere Suite, a platform that combines mobile e-mail, device management, security and application enablement. The platform can be used across a wide variety of devices, and it features “always available” capability, which allows applications to be run whether or not they are connected to the corporate network.

Recommended Competitive Responses

► Nokia/Intellisync should note that it too offers a mobile solution platform that includes device management, support for many device platforms and a NOC-less mobile e-mail platform with a relay server in the DMZ.

► Good Technology needs to tout its GoodAccess solution (now called Good Mobile Applications), designed to provide database access on mobile devices, as well as its partnership with AboveAll software for Web services-based application development.

► RIM should remind customers that its MDS Studio and Java development environments allow developers to add many applications to the BlackBerry, including everything from CRM access to network management and ERP solutions from SAP, Siebel, salesforce.com, Remedy, Peregrine, PeopleSoft and other major software platforms.

► Security specialists such as Pointsec and Credant for file system encryption, Symantec and McAfee for anti-virus, and intrusion detection and policy management experts should note that they provide best-of-breed solutions that it would be difficult for Sybase to equal from a functionality perspective, as the vendor is trying to meet baseline requirements in order to provide a kind of catch-all generalized solution.

► Similarly, mobile e-mail specialists such as Good, RIM, Intellisync, Visto and SEVEN should note that it would take time for a new participant to deliver the level of e-mail functionality that they have perfected over a long period.

Vodafone UK Launches 3G Broadband

On June 20th Vodafone UK launched its 3G Broadband service using HSDPA technology. Vodafone will offer datacards from Huawei and Option, built-in 3G Broadband in laptops from Dell, Acer and Lenovo and a 3G broadband-compatible 3G/UMTS Router. At launch, coverage will be prioritized to where existing customers are using 3G data today.

Recommended Vendor Actions

► T-Mobile UK should look to offer an integration of its HSDPA and WiFi services to offer customers a seamless wireless broadband experience.

► Orange Business Services UK should forge ahead with its Business Everywhere proposition and trickle its 3G, WiFi and DSL integrated console service down to the smaller business market.

► O2 UK should re-focus its recent purchase of the ISP Be towards the small business community. Whilst Vodafone has all the pieces of the integration jigsaw for the SME sector, O2 has yet to move beyond its all-mobile proposition. O2 UK should, however, take ‘integration’ slowly: bundle today, converge tomorrow.

► Orange Business services should shrug off the significance of Vodafone UK’s early-bird HSDPA launch, claiming that few, truly worthwhile enterprise mobile applications require anything faster than GPRS.

► Non-mobile competitors threatened by the prospect of fixed-to-mobile substitution of DSL connectivity for HSDPA should prime their sales teams to talk knowledgeably about the problems posed by poor indoor cellular coverage, especially in tightly-packed, steel-reinforced buildings.

Recommended End-User Actions

► Existing Vodafone 3G datacard customers should evaluate their current service with a view to upgrading to 3G Broadband as soon as possible. However with HSDPA coverage still being rolled out, potential customers should ensure that coverage is available in their location prior to purchase.

► Vodafone datacard customers should look to Vodafone UK to offer them a good deal on a hardware upgrade. With Vodafone offering to waive contract terms for upgrades, heavy users or corporate accounts should seek additional discounts on the purchase of the new card.

► Enterprise customers should consider mobilising business process applications using the new 3G Broadband service. Whilst mobile e-mail is having a big impact on enterprises already, mobilising applications has the potential for an even greater productivity and employee satisfaction benefit.