Re: The next big thing

From: Donald Wihardja <donald_wihardja_at_mail.com>
Date: Wed 28 Feb 2001 15:30:09 -0600

KIM BROOKS <kbrooks_at_bardo-brooks.com> WROTE:

> Oy, I'm gettin' tired of that example of passing a
> Starbucks and getting a coupon for a cheap latte. It's
> just not real, and won't be for years if ever.

TO WHICH BRANDI JASMINE <brandi_at_brandijasmine.com> REPLIED:

> That was part of my point. The other part, which you
> missed entirely is that there is a greater amount of
> hype for making money from WAP portals. Now far be it
> from me to trash wireless portals, since one of my best
> customers is a wireless portal. I sell horoscopes to a
> Canadian cell phone company. It's the cell phone
> company who will make the money, and maybe folks like
> me to a (much) smaller degree ... but *not* from
> selling advertising over this thing. Not now, or for
> the forseeable future. I don't think they even really
> plan anything like that (though I don't speak for them,
> standard disclaimers apply). I haven't seen any "trial
> balloons" in this area.

Sorry to jump in, but I have to disagree with Ms. Brandi
here on the just-hype-ness of wireless web. I believe
WAP is a great idea with lousy implemenatation
so the "greatness" of wireless web will have to wait a
bit longer. I read an article in wap.com that the sister
of WAP in Japan, I-mode, hits over 17 million
subscriber earlier this year. Its a great success that it
starts to threated WAP standard. The key: NTT
DoCoMo profit share the money gained from caller
to the content provider. So yes, they provide zodiacs,
subway maps, small entertainment items, whatever.
With 17 million viewers, it has great potentials.

I agree on one fundamental thing, though. Advertising
as a revenue model for WAP specifically doesnt seem
to work.

Donald Wihardja
Director - Business Consulting
PT. Puspa Intimedia Internusa
www.intimedia.com



Received on Wed Feb 28 2001 - 15:30:09 CST