Sometime in 2009, at least one new brand of wireless carrier is likely to emerge on the scene in various parts of Canada.
Access to spectrum is just one of the challenges for a new entrant. Building the network, establishing market channels, establishing their brand and their image will take even more effort.
Increased competition usually means lower prices, more choice, more product innovation. Over the past few months, we have seen aggressive reductions in data services prices and a wide variety of new devices – and that is 18 months before we see at least one more service provider per area.
What would you want to see from a new wireless player?
Will we see the end of System Access Fees? The end of national long distance and domestic roaming charges? Fixed mobile convergence? Open access to “all” devices and applications? What about casual access to competitive long distance providers? A new provider joining the Android open handset alliance?
As long as new entrants need to rely on roaming on an incumbent network until they physically extend their network reach, will “open access” be anything more than a slogan. In fact, is the recent announcement from AT&T; just such a slogan? Of course, from a marketing perspective, why does “open access” need to be more than a stated philosophy?
What would you do to establish a new wireless brand?