Latest News from Tom Dibble

Mobile Data Poised for Impressive Growth

Mon, 01 Mar 2004 00:00:00 EST

Deloitte TMT provides a cautiously optimistic snapshot of the 2004 telecom industry. They depict an industry that will sustain itself through more sophisticated marketing of traditional fixed line and wireless voice services - while repackaging broadband services to gear up for a broader-based assault on the consumer and business markets.

Bluejack City - A new wireless craze is spreading through Europe

Mon, 29 Dec 2003 10:31:03 EST

Just as SMS was spawned, there's a new craze that's spreading across parts of Europe. Reportedly, it's more prominent in the UK, but popular elsewhere too. Bluejacking, as you may have guessed, involves the Bluetooth standard to send anonymous messages to other Bluetooth-capable handsets with security disabled.

Why Not to Get Excited About Short Codes

Tue, 25 Nov 2003 12:52:09 EST

This final quarter of 2003 brought us many wonderful things in the world of wireless, best of all, in the U.S., common short codes (CSCs). CSCs bring the U.S. a common addressing system.

The SMS Gold Rush

Tue, 28 Oct 2003 14:01:57 EST

The gold rush for mobile content is far from over. Ten percent of Europe's SMS traffic now comes from value-added services and content such as ringtones, quizzes, and mobile chat.

New Handset Could Define 3G in Europe

Tue, 23 Sep 2003 16:14:25 EDT

3, the UK's 3G leader, has recently introduced a new member to the 3G-handset family the Motorola A920. It's depicted as combining a videophone, games machine, MP3 player, and PDA-style organizer into one unit.

U.S. Closes Gap on Europe

Wed, 20 Aug 2003 13:18:08 EDT

Every day I am literally amazed at the evidence of progress presented to me between all involved in the mobile data value chain. The estimated gap between the U.S. with its segmented interoperability and the holy union of GSM-based Euro operators was about two years behind in terms of delivering next-generation applications and user experiences.

SMS: A Cash Cow?

Mon, 28 Jul 2003 11:16:00 EDT

As much as a parent might be beguiled by the acronyms that teenagers use when texting to each other, MNOs definitely are not. Handsets nowadays are building on SMS 'speak' by integrating the truncated phrases into their phones so messages can be sent by pressing a single key on their handsets.

EuroWireless, 3G Rules Have Changed

Mon, 16 Jul 2001 00:00:00 EDT

We've all heard the promises that 3G will deliver a plethora of full-motion, audiovisual streaming applications and services. But at what cost? Operators will have to charge for these - over and above anything delivered so far - then convince you that they'll be worth paying for. Exaggerated subsidization of handsets could well be a thing of the past.

EuroWireless - All the Wireless Buzz from Europe

Tue, 01 May 2001 16:33:00 EDT

Short Message Service (SMS) has proven to be an unexpected success for mobile telecom operators. Practically ubiquitous on European handsets, at its simplest, it allows the sending of short (up to 160 character) text messages, which are typically received within 5 to 30 seconds of being sent - hardly exciting stuff when you compare it to the level of interactivity that, say, the Web offers.

Eurowireless

Wed, 10 Jan 2001 14:44:00 EST

Welcome to the inaugural issue of what in our humble opinion will become North America's compulsory reading on what wireless is all about and what it's becoming before you guys and gals overtake us! Through the technological ages, the U.S. has always held the whip hand over Europe.

When Is a Mobile Phone Not a Phone?

Sat, 01 Jan 2000 00:00:00 EST

When it's a camera. SMS or text messaging has been one of the all-time great legacies in terms of consumer adoption of a new technology. With the advent of the first MMS (multimedia messaging) services launched recently in Europe, many are saying that MMS will follow the same trend. But will it?

Euro Wireless

Sat, 01 Jan 2000 00:00:00 EST

The mobile gaming industry is relatively embryonic. It's at an early stage of evolution where fundamental strategies for success are coarsely defined. Its clear dissimilarity from other rising markets is that it's a marriage of two extremely successful industries. Established digital games companies are increasingly recognizing the potential of mobile, and are making efforts to muscle in on the action.

All the Wireless Buzz from Europe

Sat, 01 Jan 2000 00:00:00 EST

Wireless games are expected to generate revenues of $4.4 billion by 2006, a revised prediction after Ovum had questioned Datamonitor's initial prediction of a mobile games market worth over $16 billion. Datamonitor's earlier prediction, first revealed at ECTS 2000, was one of the catalysts of the hype surrounding the wireless gaming market. Ovum claimed that the predictions made by Datamonitor are overrated and that consumers will be willing to pay for wireless games only when they perceive value.

SMS and Mobile Marketing

Sat, 01 Jan 2000 00:00:00 EST

At the end of December 2001, 30-billion SMS messages a month were being sent on GSM networks around the world. Not bad for a technology that was meant for a corporate market. The explosive growth of SMS, especially in Europe, can be attributed to many factors. But let me state the obvious. It's easy to use and you don't have to talk to someone! All this from a voice-based device - go figure!

Eurowireless

Sat, 01 Jan 2000 00:00:00 EST

Until recently, the mobile marketing industry was too embryonic to be noticed. Its explosive growth in Europe over the past nine months has now shown SMS-based marketers that they have a fantastic opportunity to talk to their prospects and bases on a one-to-one basis.

The Wireless Home of the Future

Sat, 01 Jan 2000 00:00:00 EST

Many different companies, from PC and white goods manufacturers to telecom and consumer electronics firms, have started to develop and market products for the home automation market. A report on connected home services, by Cahners In-Stat Group, estimates the U.S. market will multiply by over 27 times the 1999 figures by 2004. Technologies within the home, such as broadband, Bluetooth, Wireless LAN, and HomeRF, will help fuel this growth. Orange is already exploring technologies and working with a number of different companies to turn ideas into reality. But in this newly emerging market, it will be interesting to see which way the trends will go.

Euro Tech Update

Sat, 01 Jan 2000 00:00:00 EST

Europe is seeing a new order coming to fruition as the Net we know begins to detach itself from the PC and migrate to the mobile world. With this migration, developers are faced with new trials, and marketers, with fresh challenges. What they share is the lack of common standards around the globe and even on your doorstep.

The Direct-Response SMS Revolution

Sat, 01 Jan 2000 00:00:00 EST

'American Idol' appears to be the first major television production in the U.S. to capitalize on a target audience that falls into the category of 'technology-savvy youth.' By all accounts, the results are impressive. By April 9, AT&T was able to claim their one millionth vote via text messaging and they're still only halfway through what is, to say the least, an elongated program format.

In Italy: One Cellphone for Business and One for Pleasure

Sat, 01 Jan 2000 00:00:00 EST

Italy is among the first countries in the world to use commercially available 3G phones. Like fashion, the Italians can be preoccupied with their technology-led accessories. Most Italians have at least two mobile phones: one for business and one for pleasure, both constantly being updated. Therefore, what better deserving consumers than Italians to be among the first to get their hands on the new 3G phones?

Campaign Watch: Levi's Goes SMS

Sat, 01 Jan 2000 00:00:00 EST

In what is claimed to be the largest outbound SMS campaign to date in the U.S., Levi's took the plunge into mobile marketing. In a 'hunt the clue' style campaign, Levi's offered a pair of diamond-encrusted jeans that consumers could win by visiting the Levi's Web site, and answering questions and playing virtual games in return for clues as to where the $150,000 jeans were hidden. Levi's aired the final clue in the contest during a 60-second Super Bowl TV commercial.

The Sum May Be Greater Than the Parts

Sat, 01 Jan 2000 00:00:00 EST

The future of the burgeoning wireless industry is far from clear. A crystal ball is about as close as you'll come right now. The mobile community struggles alongside other consumer industries in these conservative times. Short-term, the lack of new investment may be the biggest challenge for operators facing uncertain seas ahead.

Wi-Fi, WLAN, 802.11b: Call It What You Want, but It's Here to Stay

Sat, 01 Jan 2000 00:00:00 EST

While 3G crawls forward without any sign of speeding up its deployment in Europe, companies such as NTT and British Telecom are quietly escalating their Wireless LAN plans. Although 802.11b, or Wi-Fi as it's commonly known, has been around for awhile, it has always seemed to be the poor cousin to other technologies such as Bluetooth.

The Moving Image in Motion

Sat, 01 Jan 2000 00:00:00 EST

Mobile video streaming has been creating a stir in the industry recently, and several venture funds seem to be investing heavily in its future. Is it just more hype? Are the commercial realities to be reaped, or is it destined to join the scrap heap of killer wireless applications?

Are Korea and Japan Showing Operators the Way Forward?

Sat, 01 Jan 2000 00:00:00 EST

In some countries in today's wireless world, there are operators who are able only to gaze into the distant future, dreaming of the day they'll be able to profit from advanced high-speed mobile services. Elsewhere, operators in countries such as Korea and Japan are blazing ahead. What can we learn from these countries?