GPRS as the gateway to 3G - the search for missionaries

GPRS as the gateway to 3G - the search for missionaries CANNES - February 20, 2002 - GPRS is the gateway to 3G for the wireless industry. A gateway that has yet to be fully opened: although handsets and subscriptions are available, the adoption of good practices among operators in the field is still painfully slow. However there are encouraging examples! Leading wireless advisor Northstream highlights the important steps in making GPRS the gateway to 3G. Northstream sees GPRS as a matter of survival for the 3G licensees since it is only through GPRS that operators can retain or gain new market share, build a multimedia brand, start leveraging the dynamics of the content industry and start educating the market. GPRS is truly the gateway to 3G! Although availability of handsets and subscriptions for GPRS is picking up, the operators still seem confused about how to wrap it up and make an attractive offer to consumers. "It seems like only a fraction of the users with GPRS at their fingertips actually knows what do to with it. Operators as well as handset makers need to educate missionaries among their own rank preaching the GPRS gospel, from the salespeople in the stores to the CEO, " says Bengt Nordström, CEO at Northstream Still there are encouraging individual examples of good practices adopted by operators within the industry:GPRS specific services are being developed and promoted. Efforts are made in cooperation between operators and content providers with clear and divided roles. Users are being educated and practice for roaming cooperation improving. In turning GPRS into the gateway to 3G, operators need to take important steps in a number of fields, according to the Northstream view: · Services Let all users with capable phones access GPRS services without having to go through a buying decision. Corporate users need more than just a price-plan. Build services on inherent GPRS advantages: higher transmission speed, constant connectivity with minimal use of network resources Let these drive market communication. Northstream has not yet seen any good examples of market campaigns built around GPRS specific services/applications. · Market strategy Be careful using GPRS as a brand, focus on services rather than technology. Co-ordination needed between content portal and operator. Create attractive packages for GPRS subscriptions, users need all the help they can get! · Partner strategies Services, applications and content are all crucial for GPRS take-up. Operators cannot turn into media-houses over night - partners are needed! · Sales & Pricing Change incentive structures to match the new situation, couple commissions clearly to activation of GPRS accounts. Do not destroy inherent GPRS advantages through pricing - time based charging should be avoided. In billing - use what you've got today- don't wait for the arrival of the all encompassing billing system! · Expand the definition of the user interface The 'user interface' is so much more than an easy menu structure in the phone. To stimulate take up and usage of GPRS, operators need to realise that the user interface also includes advertising, price plan simplicity, web based info, content, customer service staff/helpdesk and trained & skilled sales staff in shops. Not before all these work together to create ease of understanding and adoption, the rate of GPRS usage with people owning a GPRS phone will stay low. Meet us at the 3GSM World Congress in Cannes, hall 2, stand F46 and Hospitality suite 301 and 303, or follow the event through live updates at www.northstream.se. For more information contact: Bengt Nordström, CEO Tel : +46 70 558 47 09 bengt.nordstrom@northstream.se Tommy Ljunggren, Public Relations Manager Tel: +46 70 591 00 64 tommy.ljunggren@northstream.se About Northstream: Northstream provides strategic technology and business advice to the global wireless industry. Northstream has assembled a multinational team with some of the world's best experts and analysts on wireless communication business and technology. Northstream works for several of the world's leading operators and system suppliers, e.g. Vodafone, AT&T, NTT DoCoMo, SmarTone, Sonera, Mitsubishi, Ericsson, Nokia and Siemens. Northstream also works for other consultancies such as Accenture and some of the leading investment banks and financial institutions. Northstream is established in Stockholm (Sweden), Sophia Antipolis (France), Tokyo (Japan), Hong Kong (HK) and Henley on Thames (UK). ------------------------------------------------------------ This information was brought to you by Waymaker http://www.waymaker.net The following files are available for download: http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2002/02/20/20020219BIT01590/bit0001.doc http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2002/02/20/20020219BIT01590/bit0001.pdf