| Exciting New Services The reason broadband growth has slowed, I believe, is because:
1) Providers have not brought out any exciting new services that capture users imagination
2) There is not a reasonably priced mobile internet service available, especially one with similar compelling features, to interconnect with fixed service
For example, Verizon’s FiOS service has the capability deliver Video on Demand up to the last 200 hours of every channel, including every digital sub-channel, so that you would not have to DVR any program from the last week. And not just to TVs, but PCs and Personal Digital Assistants as well. Granted they should compensate the providers.
But more importantly, there is only one group of generally available mobile Internet service providers, the cellular phone companies, which are part of the phone companies, and their charges for access are astronomical for a family compared to fixed location service, for clearly inferior service. The second competitor, the cable company, has no mobile service. Who knows what the cellular companies would charge for full Mobile Cable TV, Mobile Video on Demand, Mobile Internet Radio, Audio on Demand (Radio’s VoD equivalent) or Location Determination and Tracking with Google Map Mashups.
When the costs are much lower, customers will undoubtedly ask for additional services that might be even more worthwhile. What do you wish for?
With Video, Audio including voice (telephony) or radio, and Data both Fixed and Mobile, Live and On Demand, there is clearly room for a third provider that can deliver all these services efficiently. True competition didn't come to the cellular phone business until there were three competitors.
Johnston, Ernie
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