I think Ajay's comments touch on a key point....if meaningful integration of services is essentially the "virtue of IMS" discussed here (and this is the promise that IMS holds for operators) then haven't OTT players already beaten operators to the punch? Help me out here, because it seems service convergence is already happening in the OTT provider's data center.  Google's new line up (now including mobile voice), for example, will now enable converged access to messaging, email, voice/data collaboration and other rich media services through a single portal that they can optimize (including service availability) based on the capability of the connected endpoint you choose to use (fixed/mobile or PC/Phone). Do I need a SIP-based control solution to apply differentiated policy/handling to multiple media streams (voice, rich data, etc.) delivered to a mobile device if a Web 2.0-enabled DC (that I log-in to once) is already doing that for me?  Maybe I am missing something here, but would be very interested in examples of IMS-enabled services propositions which could position the SP to counter this in the marketplace.... ... View more

I think Nagesh is right on in characterizing the "two worlds" nature of LTE and Wimax (after all, do we really see more than a few mobile operators with FDD spectrum opting to deploy a TDD-based technology?).  Also agree that the real question here concerns the business model associated with green-field Wimax deployments (and making it work/driving services scale....). Am wondering, however, if we may see a bit of the "LTE vs. Wimax" dyanamic play out (and curious if anyone sees this?) with TD-LTE or even TD-SCDMA (just in China perhaps) as a near-term alternative to Wimax?   And whether or not we see a short-term impact, will TD-LTE emerge as a second TDD ecosystem (handsets, chips, infrasrtucture, etc.) that could significantly impact Wimax deployments over the longer-term? ... View more

So before we decide to too pessimistic from SP perspective on iPhones ("i.e. good for consumers, but bad for operators") lets take a closer look at what iPhone has really wrought for the carrier (understanding of course that many more devices like this one are on the way).... Earlier this year AT&T shared that nearly 40% of iPhone users have a bill over $100 per month--while we know this revenue is driven by a much higher data throughput requirement (say at least 10X or more vs.a "feature phone" user), and that the revenue yield per KB for mobile web in particular must be going down (as flat access plans spread the same dollars over more KBs), we also know there is alot more going on here.  iPhone users drive much higher rates of simple IM volume than do other device users (which is the carrier's most profitable data service--and is the single biggest effect of iPhones) and iPhone users must spend far more on incremental purchases (which are aggregated on the carrier bill and also have very high margin) to drive bill sizes that large (vs. the typical $60 per month user at AT&T with a voice plus simple access plan for 10 bucks).  AT&T has recently split off IM service plans from their broader data packages for this reason (i.e. better matching of revenue and costs). Sure the iPhone user drives substantial additional costs back into the carrier network (much of which is difficult to assign only to the iPhone) but I have a hard time believing that the majority of iPhone users (despite driving lower % margins) have lower $$ contribution margins than general users at the end of the day. I vote "good for consumers, good for carriers"..... ... View more

So to the point on economics, we all know that Wimax drives substantially lower cost/KB (measured in total amortized capex/opex) than do wireline networks and this has been the primary driver of Wimax build-out in the developing world.....but what's interesting to note, however, is that such "fixed-line-replacement" plays are increasingly provided over mobile Wimax networks (802.11e) as carriers covert existing 802.11d networks and/or opt for direct 802.11e deployment (now over 80% of forecasted Wimax network capex in coming year).  Mobile Wimax networks can of course do quite a bit more than serve as a wireless "bit pipe," enabling mobile voice, video and collaboration services (and we can all think of quite a few other service ideas).   So will emerging markets rapidly outgrow their low-bit rate 2G voice networks (mobility and all) as fully mobile Wimax networks make inroads?  Can broadband data demand be that far behind? ... View more