Comments on: The end of the mobile MENS Club http://venturebeat.com/2007/03/28/the-end-of-the-mobile-mens-club/ News About Tech, Money and Innovation Wed, 25 Nov 2009 02:28:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Richard Wong http://venturebeat.com/2007/03/28/the-end-of-the-mobile-mens-club/comment-page-1/#comment-18467 Richard Wong Fri, 06 Apr 2007 14:50:48 +0000 http://www.venturebeat.com/contributors/2007/03/28/the-end-of-the-mobile-mens-club/#comment-18467 As another example of the trend, Philips Eletronics today, announced the completion of sale of their mobile handsets business to China Electronics Corp (CEC) While Philips was never a major player in the "MENS" club, they were once an important 2nd tier player in Europe... http://yahoo.reuters.com/news/articlehybrid.aspx?storyID=urn:newsml:reuters.com:20070406:MTFH19974_2007-04-06_14-09-11_WEB4000&type=comktNews&rpc=44 As another example of the trend, Philips Eletronics today, announced the completion of sale of their mobile handsets business to China Electronics Corp (CEC)

While Philips was never a major player in the “MENS” club, they were once an important 2nd tier player in Europe…

http://yahoo.reuters.com/news/articlehybrid.aspx?storyID=urn:newsml:reuters.com:20070406:MTFH19974_2007-04-06_14-09-11_WEB4000&type=comktNews&rpc=44

]]> By: Richard Wong http://venturebeat.com/2007/03/28/the-end-of-the-mobile-mens-club/comment-page-1/#comment-18026 Richard Wong Sat, 31 Mar 2007 23:05:01 +0000 http://www.venturebeat.com/contributors/2007/03/28/the-end-of-the-mobile-mens-club/#comment-18026 Yes, that's been true historically. Another approach that's been used is also interoperability testing only with select members of the club, which is effectively another form of cross-licensing. That said, a number of changes have occurred. First the existence of organizations such as 3GPP http://www.3gpp.org/, and OMA (open mobile alliance) http://www.openmobilealliance.org/, have begun to level the playing field by estalishing open standards and test interop environments. Second, the operators have begun to grow in market power through market consolidation. Companies such as Telefonica, Vodafone Global, as well as even here in the US such as Sprint/Nextel, ATT/Cingular, have increased their negotiating power with the MENS club. Lastly, the company with the most interesting IPR strategy is actually NOT a historical MENS club member, Qualcomm... who has very broad IPR in 3G and CDMA technologies. Sincerely Rich Wong Yes, that’s been true historically. Another approach that’s been used is also interoperability testing only with select members of the club, which is effectively another form of cross-licensing.

That said, a number of changes have occurred. First the existence of organizations such as 3GPP http://www.3gpp.org/, and OMA (open mobile alliance) http://www.openmobilealliance.org/, have begun to level the playing field by estalishing open standards and test interop environments.

Second, the operators have begun to grow in market power through market consolidation. Companies such as Telefonica, Vodafone Global, as well as even here in the US such as Sprint/Nextel, ATT/Cingular, have increased their negotiating power with the MENS club.

Lastly, the company with the most interesting IPR strategy is actually NOT a historical MENS club member, Qualcomm… who has very broad IPR in 3G and CDMA technologies.

Sincerely
Rich Wong

]]> By: Paul F http://venturebeat.com/2007/03/28/the-end-of-the-mobile-mens-club/comment-page-1/#comment-17984 Paul F Sat, 31 Mar 2007 05:18:52 +0000 http://www.venturebeat.com/contributors/2007/03/28/the-end-of-the-mobile-mens-club/#comment-17984 In the past the MENS group have wielded some power through control of IP and cross-licensing, especially in the GSM space. Is this now changing? Regards Paul In the past the MENS group have wielded some power through control of IP and cross-licensing, especially in the GSM space. Is this now changing?

Regards Paul

]]> By: Richard Wong http://venturebeat.com/2007/03/28/the-end-of-the-mobile-mens-club/comment-page-1/#comment-17849 Richard Wong Thu, 29 Mar 2007 19:05:57 +0000 http://www.venturebeat.com/contributors/2007/03/28/the-end-of-the-mobile-mens-club/#comment-17849 Hi, in response to your question… First, since Japan/Korea had been very advanced in mobile-data and advanced handsets (color, miniaturization, cameraphones, etc), many of these new asian players had jumped ahead on new features for the mobile data world. So, when consumers and mobile operator were looking at their mobile data strategies in 2002, many of them found these devices to be more advanced than the "MENS club" phones of that era. Second, just as occurred in the PC-era in the mid-90s, many of the Asian players are extending their manufacturing experience in other areas of consumer electronics into the phone space. So, as new markets such as India and Latin America accelerate, many are looking for the simple/low-cost phones that many of these new entrants can provide. To your question of competition going forward – it’s a combination of innovation and cost management as you might expect. Of all the former MENS club, Nokia is one of the few that still stands on top, and capturing market share by executing on both strategies - a combination of continued innovation on device type, and improving the UI of the mobile experience, as well as a low cost, high scale manufacturing platform strategy. Sincerely Rich Wong Hi, in response to your question…

First, since Japan/Korea had been very advanced in mobile-data and advanced handsets (color, miniaturization, cameraphones, etc), many of these new asian players had jumped ahead on new features for the mobile data world. So, when consumers and mobile operator were looking at their mobile data strategies in 2002, many of them found these devices to be more advanced than the “MENS club” phones of that era.

Second, just as occurred in the PC-era in the mid-90s, many of the Asian players are extending their manufacturing experience in other areas of consumer electronics into the phone space. So, as new markets such as India and Latin America accelerate, many are looking for the simple/low-cost phones that many of these new entrants can provide.

To your question of competition going forward – it’s a combination of innovation and cost management as you might expect. Of all the former MENS club, Nokia is one of the few that still stands on top, and capturing market share by executing on both strategies – a combination of continued innovation on device type, and improving the UI of the mobile experience, as well as a low cost, high scale manufacturing platform strategy.

Sincerely
Rich Wong

]]> By: David G. http://venturebeat.com/2007/03/28/the-end-of-the-mobile-mens-club/comment-page-1/#comment-17825 David G. Thu, 29 Mar 2007 11:35:35 +0000 http://www.venturebeat.com/contributors/2007/03/28/the-end-of-the-mobile-mens-club/#comment-17825 Richard, why did incumbents like MENS lose market shares to these relatively new players? In wireless industry, which force: commoditization or innovation, plays a large role in shaping the competitive landscape more in the last few years? How about future and in what ways? THX. Richard, why did incumbents like MENS lose market shares to these relatively new players? In wireless industry, which force: commoditization or innovation, plays a large role in shaping the competitive landscape more in the last few years? How about future and in what ways? THX.

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