CornerWorld » Dial611

Enhancing Cell Phone Capabilities

David Fleming — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 13:00:37 +0000

Even for the most news conscious of tech enthusiasts out there, the evolution of the mobile phone is increasingly difficult to follow. What once used to be a device to simply make calls, the phone has become a hub of information essential on both a personal and professional level. With mobile applications enhancing the experience even further, consumers are less interested in the phone portion of smart phones’ capabilities.

The past two years have ushered in the iPhone, the Droid, the Pre and slew of Blackberries that have changed the way we look at our phone experience. As rumors of additional phones and revolutionary platforms continue to swirl as if ready to break at any moment, the thought of actually buying one of these devices seems…

Where is Customer Service in the Future of Wireless?

David Fleming — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 14:00:11 +0000

More and more providers are jumping into unlimited or “all you can eat” packages, offering customers a security blanket against the old fear (and lucrative business model) of overage charges. But like any competitive marketplace, there is always a desire to trump the competition. As a result, these unlimited packages have gone from $200, to $99, to now well under $50 per month. While consumers cheer these more reasonably priced offerings, anyone who knows business has to wonder—where are the margins?

It would be one thing if providers were not expanding their networks or improving to 3G and 4G technologies to deliver service. But if the data overload that iPhones are delivering to AT&T are any indication, the opposite is true. With calls, texts and data demands…

Are Wireless Phones Really About the Phone Anymore?

David Fleming — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:15:59 +0000

On the legal side of telecommunications, the “duck test” is often used to describe how new technologies fit into legacy regulatory policies. When data companies unveil voice services and claim that they are data and not voice products, the argument is often made by competitors and regulators that “If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck.”

This test is pertinent to the current state of the wireless phone industry as well. With all of the enhancements happening, the user experience is getting more and more complex. As a result, a paradox emerges. If a phone doesn’t have a key pad, doesn’t require minutes and is rarely used to make calls; is it really a…