Telecommunications: Wireless War Zone?
Enterprises might not have as much bargaining leverage in the future as they do now, of course. Michael Doherty, senior wireless analyst at Ovum in Wakefield, Mass., says that an imminent wireless consolidation could help the carriers’ situation by reducing the number of options for corporate buyers.
That may be true, but the price-cutting and "pipe-only" competition has already begun. Verizon dropped prices on some of its wireless hardware in the hopes of luring customers. Several carriers offer "all you can eat" options for data-only services that in effect give laptop users access similar to what they’d have at home with a DSL or dial-up line?with minimal interference from the carrier. The momentum has started, and as the wired market shows, the hill can get steep?fast.
There may be a long, shallow slope before the drop-off, however, as the players work to build a market first. "We’re trying to create the pie," says Jason Guesman, director of business marketing of Sprint’s PCS division. "We’ll duke it out later."
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Everything BlackBerry with tips, news and reviews from our mobility expert Al Sacco.
