3G resting, not dead
By Guy Matthews,
Mobile operators need to learn lessons from the IT industry if they are to get businesses more interested in 3G services, says mobile customer management specialist Amdocs.
With attention already starting to focus on the promise of 3.5G and 4G technologies, such as HSDPA and Mobile WiMax, operators need to find better ways to service and support customers to improve 3G's tarnished image, says Seth Nesbitt, product director at billing software house Amdocs.
"There's been some pretty negative coverage of 3G in the press," he told IT Pro. "No-one's kidding anyone that takeup of 3G has been slower than expected. But I think the idea that it's all over for 3G is wrong."
He cited the early days of the web, when much smart money was on it remaining an inferior kind of encyclopaedia for technology enthusiasts and Star Trek fans.
"There have been hitches and issues for business adopters, and 3G now needs a better focus on customer service to give it a fresh push," he said.
He believes the slow start for 3G should have been more easily foreseen.
"The move to 3G content and data services has been a huge shift for operators, and I think everyone underestimated what a challenge this would be for them," he believes.
"Operators have by default become helpdesks for IT support as well as sellers of voice services. The PC industry has developed effective remote support services that could alleviate many 3G problems if used as an example of best practice."
Nesbitt says operators have also had to learn to work with third party content creators for the first time - becoming effective resellers of other people's services.
"Businesses want to see a lot more focus on problems like security before they buy further into it," he says. "If they crack this then there are so many ways they can make business data mobile beyond just email."
advertisement
Latest Internet Features
Microsoft: One year under Steve Ballmer
It's been one year since Bill Gates left Microsoft in Steve Ballmer's hands. What kind of year have we seen?
- The top ten UK web brands
- Can Microsoft make a success out of Silverlight?
- A short history of Phorm
- Top of the flops: 10 pieces of tech that died before they’d lived
- Can Google or Microsoft get any bigger?
- Focus on... Flexible working
- 10 big internet names that have fallen
- The history of search engines
- Top 10 mobile Twitter apps
Latest Internet Reviews
Mozilla Firefox 3.5 review
Rating: ![]()
advertisement
Latest News Videos in Internet
Video: How to set up a Smoothwall firewall
We take you through how to setup your own low-cost firewall system using nothing more than a low spec PC and free software.
Whitepapers
Want more background on today's hottest IT trends?
Visit IT PRO's whitepaper library for more on virtualisation, encryption and other topics.
Register for IT PRO
You'll get exclusive member benefits including free whitepapers, downloads, Webinars and weekly newsletters full of the latest IT PRO news, reviews, insight and expertise.



Social Bookmark this article: What is this?