The always enjoyable to read PaidContent.org has a interesting series of posts related to how confusing the media and telco markets are about to become.
For a long time I've said that the next media powerhouses are the RBOC's, once they figure out how not to be caught up in utility think. If they look back at how they entered and profited from cellular they will see some clues.
Clearly, SBC and Verizon are in this space, as they are already making snorting noises and view the cable MSO's entry into telephony as their reason to go head to head with FTTH (fiber to the home) and other new high speed, high capacity Internet based delivery of content.
When you think about it, the boxes all the VoIP carriers are supplying have the capacity to be network delivery devices for content beyond simply voice calls. When the companies like AT&T or Vonage begin to leverage the ownership of the customer at the end point, and that day will come I predict again, then the game gets really interesting.
All a cable connection for high speed Internet should be is access. As a user we should have the open access right to decide which content or services we get, or from who--the provider. In reality, having access to as many providers for content is what I want, and with that in mind, I can see more aggregators coming along to do just that once IP TV really takes hold.
Being a "Watcher" of the space is going to really be fun. Just look at history of all the industries and you will find clues that tell you what to expect next.
Phone companies have been trying to do this for more than 15 years in one form or another (I was actually involved in one of those tries...what a disaster!). They just can't get the hang of doing the Hollywood deals and buying content. They're telephone companies, for gosh sake, not media companies!
While on that subject, I think it's kinda funny that the cable companies are talking about doing cellular again...I was one of the founders of SprintPCS (I was with Cox Comm at the time), and that partnership basically broke up a few years later...
Posted by: bruce crair | November 08, 2004 at 02:24 PM
what can the end point (ata) other than voice?
Posted by: ron reagan | November 08, 2004 at 11:00 AM
Article in Wall Street Journal today on a JOINT VENTURE Cellular CABLE company being formed by Comcast/Cox to battle and think about ''Cellular Voip Bridging using your CABLE CELL Phone to acess the IP Voip Landline ON your CABLE CELL PHONE??????????? SEE the WSJ today
Skibare
Posted by: skibare | November 08, 2004 at 10:41 AM