Re: The next big thing

From: Donald Wihardja <donald_at_intimedia.com>
Date: Mon 05 Mar 2001 10:30:28 -0600

BRAD JENSEN <brad_at_elstore.com> WROTE:

> Probably a factor in this is that in many European
> countries, the local phone access costs per connect
> minute as if it were long distance in the USA. So the
> escape to cell phones makes more sense there, since
> they are already paying a godawful fee to the local
> monopoly - usually the post office.

Well, I come from Indonesia, and I can comment on the
pricing of cellphone charges here and around asia. I
also used to work as a consultant for the major GSM
operator here.

Indonesian call rate is about US$ 0.10 a minute for
local call, and jump to $0.50 (30km+) to $2 (over 500km)
for long distance calls. (our country spans the distance
from LA to NY) mobile phone rate adds a whopping $ 0.35
per minute over the regular call rate, for each end
(so mobile-to-mobile adds $.70) But before and even
during the economy crisis, mobile phone kept being
used excessively in here.

My estimate is Indonesia now with 200 million people,
has less than 8 million fixed phone AND over 1.5
million mobile phones. In Singapore, my taxi driver
last time sports 2 mobile phones in addition to his
radio. I think it is almost 1 to 1 ratio of mobile
phones to people over there. Its about trend here.
People call each other on their mobile IN THE OFFICE
(I do, sigh) because it is more convenient. Everyone
earning more than US$150 per month has one. Lots of
people has WAP phones too. Because mobile phone is a
status symbol, and the newer your mobile, the cooler
you are. And all the new mobile phones has WAP.

Which is NOT to say that WAP is taking off here. It
doesn't. I think it is that you have to subscribe to
WAP as an additional service that put the barrier.
IMHO, if they put the right pricing method, WAP or
some sort of wireless internet will take off here.
I believe wireless will be the next big thing, but
which ones to bet on is the problem. WAP, Blue Tooth,
I-Mode??? Any takers...

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



Received on Mon Mar 05 2001 - 10:30:28 CST