WiMAX Rocks

The worldwide WiMAX equipment market, including fixed and mobile WiMAX equipment, increased 59% sequentially to $363 million in Q1 2008. The surge in the market was led by especially strong mobile WiMAX (802.16e) equipment sales, which jumped 141% this quarter to overtake revenue from fixed WiMAX (802.16d) equipment for the first time.

WiMAX Equipment Worldwide Revenue Forecast

Source: Infonetics Research

Other tidbits from the report: Motorola took the lead in overall WiMAX revenue in Q1 after increasing its worldwide mobile revenue share by 10 points, and is the first vendor to exceed $50 million in mobile WiMAX revenue in a single quarter. Alvarion continues to lead in worldwide fixed WiMAX equipment revenue share, but is getting a run for its money from Telsima, which increased its Q1 revenue. The number of fixed and mobile WiMAX subscribers topped 2 million worldwide in 2007 and is expected to triple by the end of 2008.

ALERT: TEEN MARKET SLOWING

The wireless industry hit the mother lode when it began tapping the 12- to 17-year-old teen market. However, according to MultiMedia Intelligence, that market may be drying up.

In 2007, the research firm reports that the teen market accounted for more than 16 million new subscribers. By 2012, the number of teen subscribers is projected to reach 17 million, a difference of only 1 million subscribers.

“Teen ARPU has been growing higher than that of the overall market,” said Frank Dickson, MultiMedia’s chief research officer. “Teens simply use their phones to do more, from text messaging to purchasing premium content. However, pricing pressures and teen cellular saturation are bringing an end to the teen cellular gold rush.”

Other findings include:

• More than half of teens are subscribers by the age of 13.
• Subscriber growth is seasonal, with Q3 and Q4 the stronger quarters.
• Even at the higher age groups, teen female subscribers outnumber male
  subscribers. However, the gap among those in the 17-year-old age group
  has narrowed greatly.
• The Hispanic teen market has become significant, projected to approach
  3 million subscribers by 2012.
  

INSIDE, OUTSIDE, UPSIDE DOWN

More than a third of small and medium businesses have problems using their mobile phones at work, and even more so when working from home. Yet, for many, the mobile phone is their first preference when making a call, even when at a desk with a fixed phone. This according to research commissioned with Quocirca by RadioFrame Networks

The companies also found that 3G is on its way, but not quite there yet. More than half of all respondents have no plans to implement 3G phones, but 17% plan to introduce 3G laptops in the coming year, adding to the third that have already done so.

The problem is voice quality is a high priority, which makes a strong case for deploying indoor base station technology such as picocells and femtocells.

MOBILE TV COMPETITION, YES OR NO?

Although operators can rely on their own networks and offer more channels via 3G mobile TV streaming services, the video quality may not be as consistent as with other forms of mobile TV technology, according to In-Stat.

“The 3G mobile TV service is only available to those with 3G handsets and plans, so 3G mobile TV services cannot be offered to the entire subscriber base, unlike a mobile TV broadcast service,” said Michelle Abraham. “So, uptake in 3G mobile TV is dependent on an increase in the number of 3G subscribers. Today, 3G penetration is far less than 50% for most operators, with 3G mobile TV penetration of 3G subscribers below 10% for many mobile operators.”

Check out these fast facts:

• Worldwide 3G mobile TV subscribers are forecast to reach 42 million in 2012.
• 3G mobile TV subscribers grew to 6 million worldwide in 2007
• In 2012, In-Stat expects worldwide 3G mobile TV revenues to reach $5 billion
  

CSR FAST FACT
Customers who end the conversation with unresolved problems are half as satisfied and 64% more likely to switch providers. (CFI Group’s Contact Center Satisfaction Index).

GO FIGURE

$173
Initial hardware bill of materials and manufacturing cost from a preliminary “virtual teardown” of the iPhone 3G conducted by iSuppli.

7/11
Release date of the iPhone in the United States via AT&T.

21
Number of countries besides the United States that the iPhone will be available in this month.

$226
The original 8 GB iPhone’s hardware cost after component price reductions.

$599
Retail price of the 8 GB iPhone 3G. The original 2G phone was sold at an unsubsidized price of $499. Subsidy by AT&T makes it $199.