Posted by Editor in devices, rim
So what’s your take on the new blackberry flip phone? Last we saw the beastie, we worried it was downright fugly but the release version (on T-mobile, no doubt Rogers soon). Early reviews are fairly positive, it’s got two big screens and better keyboard/ball, wifi and a better browser etc. And it is supposed to be pretty cheap. Nonetheless there’s one glaring flaw: no 3G.
It’s 2008 RIM what’s the deal? We can theorize a few reasons, some better than the others. Form factor: they needed 2G to keep it thin and light. Battery life: RIM is famous for not including advanced features until they could do it without sacrificing day-long battery life. Cost: shaving 3G cuts the materials bill by a few dollars (think single digits, but it counts). Ignorance: EDGE and classic speed push email is pretty good to start with, as first-time smartphone users won’t know what they’re missing. Wifi is good enough: really? Market segmentation: if the low-end kickstart could do everything, why would anyone step up to the premium models? Timing: the 3G/EVDO version is coming next year.
Overall, it’s got enough under the hood that we think this launch will still do well for Canada’s home-team cellphone maker. But what’s your intuition? Are there really hoards of would-be smart phone users braying to lay their clammy hands on a flip phone factor? Is this the kickstart RIM needs to beat out the $199 iphone in the low end of the market? Or is this flipper-baby missing some too-important bits in your mind?
Posted by Editor in connectivity
It’s hard to get a free lunch on Air Canada anymore, but starting in 2009 you’ll be able to get wifi. The wifi connectivity is helped out by the (key) benefit seat-back USB and AC power outlets. Lack of power was certainly one of the downfalls of past in-flight services like Boeing’s short-lived satelite service.
The Gogo service turns a commercial airplane into a WiFi hotspot with true in-flight internet access. Passengers with WiFi enabled devices, such as laptops, Smartphones and PDAs can surf the web, check any e-mail, Instant Message, access a corporate VPN, and more.
Air Canada will roll out the Gogo system on select flights, initially installing the system on its Airbus A319 aircraft that fly into the United States initial deployment is expected to begin by spring 2009.
The Gogo system on Air Canada’s trans-border routes will be available first in the U.S. and powered by Aircell’s already existing infrastructure. Air Canada and Aircell expect that the Gogo service will eventually provide passengers coverage from key Air Canada cities such as Montreal and Toronto to every Air Canada market in the continental United States
Based on their existing service, Expect AirCell pricing to come in around $10 for typical flight, which to us sounds pretty reasonable. Smart move by aircanada, the service adds a little extra per seat revenue to help pay those gas bills while offering a convenience/productivity bonus vs the competition. Will Westjet and Porter be next?
Posted by Editor in Business models we'd like to see, data
From across the pond this morning:
Not the cheese shop sketch
Man walks into a mobile phone store.
Ouch!
No, let’s do that again. This time without the faintest hint of a joke.
Man walks into a 3UK retail store on Princes Street in Edinburgh.
“I’d like to buy a prepaid mobile broadband SIM card please”.
“I’m sorry, but we don’t sell those.”
How do they stay in business? I want to know the secret to making money without sales! Just don’t expect me to blog it when I find out…
Har har it’s funny because everybody knows how easy it is to find prepaid data cards.
Er wait, hold the phone*, everyone knows you can find _what_ in Europe?
£10 per 1 GB or £25 for 7GB prepaid is the going rate btw (taxes included).
Prepaid data. Data by the pound, stick it in any device, like a £49.99 prepaid mobile broadband dongle, pay for the data only as you use it. A startling invention. Due any decade now in Canada.
File under: business models we’d like to see.
*Hold the phone – geddit?
Posted by Editor in bell, HSPA, telus
An announcement was expected as early as this week [National Post
BCE and Telus in 3G network pact], but apparently the spell checking and t crossing on the PR release is taking a little longer. The cat is pretty much out of the bag however, they may as well tell us the full news.
What might an HSPA announcement mean? For one thing they will be among the first to roll out a “naked” HSPA network. Most other carriers globally moving to HSPA are upgrading or overlaying on top of existing 2G GSM/EDGE etc. services. Bell and Telus (and probably other new entrants as well) will be rolling out without the benefit of an established/reliable (if slower) network to fall back on when out of HSPA range.
It also means that Rogers will still retain all the roaming revenue from foreign (2G) GSM phones roaming in Canada. When it comes to 3G services, Rogers may have the advantage in reliability and coverage for a while until Bell/Telus new networks can can catch up in density and maturity. Even the new entrants may do better as they’ll have the advantage now of falling back to the Rogers network as well as the Bell network for roaming and reliability. (A little extra competition on the wholesale side for HSPA roaming probably can’t hurt their cause either).
What else will be the consequences of managing a frankenstein CDMA+HSPA network? What will happen to all those 3 year EVDO contracts? We shall see, and we await word from Bell and Telus. Meanwhile if you have theories, drop us a comment.
WirelessNorth.ca originally broke the story on Bell /Telus going GSM-HSPA back in July.
