A new diversity of connectivity options
One of the most useful pieces of framing we are using in our Telco 2.0 workshops is the explosion of diversity in the connectivity options people have available. The table below summarises them, but from a business rather than technology viewpoint. In which ways does the money flow between applications/service and data transport, if at all?
| Name | Technical relationship of service and connectivity | Financial relationship of service and connectivity | Examples |
| vertically integrated interactive service | Integrated | Integrated | PSTN, mobile voice, SMS |
| vertically integrated broadcast service | Integrated | Integrated | FM radio, DVB-H |
| stand-alone best-effort connectivity | Separate | Separate | dial-up, today’s broadband |
| QoS and billing enhanced connectivity | Application-aware; session/control plane integrated | Integrated | IMS |
| service-funded connectivity | Application-aware; no technical integration | Integrated | Skype Zones |
| user- or community-built free connectivity | Separate | Separate | Open Wi-Fi, basic muni service, mesh |
| local unrouted connectivity | Varies | No monetary exchange | Bluetooth, Family Radio Service |
| other connectivity | Application-agnostic | Tiered | Paris Metro pricing |
The relationship can be charted out over time. We divide up the total value of the connected communications products and services that users engage in. The relative value contribution of each channel to the user is what we track over time.
The picture for services access through mobile handsets is below.
Naturally, similar diagrams could be drawn for fixed technology, where broadcast would dominate today. The numbers are our own, but there are decision science tools out there that can drag out quantitative analyses from large group qualitative evaluations.
The world in 2016 is the destination: Telco 2.0, but there is already significant change in the market well before that.
Do you have a strategy for each of these forms of connectivity? Do you agree with the division of the world and the straw man numbers? Comments, as they say, are open.
