Mark,
Just to echo a bit of what you're saying, one of my students here at IUJ is
finalizing her thesis project which compares and contrasts Mobile Internet
usage perceptions and behaviors in Japan vs. the EU. Specifically, she
spent 3 months in France (at E.M. Lyon) on an exchange program and
interviewing fellow students about their perceptions and usage patterns of
the Mobile Internet.
I won't go into too many details (as her paper is still being finalized),
but as you've outlined, the major advantage the Bouygues holds is the
inclusive business model for content providers, an exact replica of what is
happening here in Japan. Respondents to this survey, although extremely
disappointed, and feeling betrayed by the empty promises of WAP, overall
were still interested in the Mobile Internet. Some interesting quotes
specifically about Bouygues iMode efforts in France:
What are your reactions to the various content providers currently
servicing the Mobile Internet?
Positive Answers:
"Some are great, they provide useful info"
"Good, because I have a wide range to choose my content provider for the
same kind of information"
"Favorable, they are becoming more convenient and providing useful
information and services"
Negative Answers:
"The current offerings are not very attractive, no real incentive to pay
for what they are providing"
"Useless for me currently"
"They’re nothing special…not particularly useful"
What are your reactions to the various product features of I-mode or the
new generation of the Mobile Internet (not WAP)?
Positive Answers:
"It seems more convenient than WAP"
"I like the color screen and the graphics"
"Overall this is a good product but I probably wouldn’t use many of the
features such as chat, games."
"In general this product is useful for various types of people since there
is a lot of choice as far as content is concerned"
Negative Answers
"It’s not extraordinary, we as humans don’t need all of this technology"
"This can prevent personal relationships between people, they won’t talk to
each other anymore"
"Some of the features offered are useless and I would never use them"
"I wouldn’t buy anything over a mobile phone line due to security issues"
The surprising results of this research don't center so much around the
resiliance of the human spirit (after such a terrible letdown with WAP
1.0), although I'm sure that there's a great paper to be published on this
fact, but just how much similarities exist in the desires and frustrations
that consumers have regarding the Mobile Internet regardless of
culture. The results from Japan, although they have a slightly different
tone due to the fact that WAP works here (with KDDI), very closely parallel
the responses from the EU. This gets to a point that I'm beginning to
believe very strongly, which is the desire to use the Mobile Internet, and
take advantage of the communication-enhancing capabilities that it enables,
is human (ie, not cultural). We'll be doing some research this summer in
Indonesia to try to confirm this in an emerging Mobile market as well as an
existing one such as France. But as you can see from some of the quotes
above, enabling good content, such as Bouygues is obviously doing in
France, is definitely a significant piece of their success. If, that is,
that they remember that humans don't need all of this technology in the
first place....
Based on all of this (and please feel free to challenge everything that
I've said here. I'm still learning as I go), I would fundamentally agree
with Mark's points that pre-existing technologies such as Minitel don't
really play here. If they did, WAP coupled with Circuit Switching and
unclear business models would have killed any chance of Mobile Internet
usage and adoption in most countries outside of Japan.
Just my 2 yen though....
--Philip
At 09:43 AM 5/12/2003 -0400, you wrote:
>Jurgen,
>
>To begin, I reported on the Minitel as an Editor in France for approximately
>4 years - 1990-1994 - so I would ask you to please indulge me if I express
>my opinion about this subject as a person who may have some level of
>significant knowledge on this subject.
>
>Moreover, I my company and I have worked constantly in the French content
>and telecommunications markets since then.
>
>So, if I say something about the French market, its not just an "opinion"
>but an analysis based on deep background and understanding.
>
>Thank you however for your value of what I have to say. I find that
>charming.
>
>:)
>
>And I value you opinions on the Japanese market. (you're entitled to them
>too).
>
>:)
>
>For those of you who may find some value in what I have to say about the
>French market, please read on.
>
>My company works intimately with companies who are directly involved in the
>development of content and services for imode in France and across Europe,
>and frankly, in the final analysis, Minitel has nothing whatsoever to do
>with any success/failure of imode.
>
>In fact, most of the figures for wireless data service ARPU in France are
>lower than that in the UK or Germany. The reason for this may be pricing,
>and a lack of aggressive promotion of services.
>
>And though the Minitel may be seen as a potential trigger for wireless data
>services, the fact is, all indicators point to this not being the case at
>all. Whether it is a detriment to the use of wireless data services in
>general is somewhat doubtful in my opinion.
>
>But getting back to imode. Simply put, from my discussions with people at
>DoCoMo and other companies, and from general observation, its my conclusion
>that the success/failure of imode in European countries has to do with the
>implementation of imode and the relative market success of the wireless
>carrier implementing and launching it.
>
>Eplus, which has a somewhat mixed reputation in the market, and even KPN to
>some degree, have not done the best job of launching imode in a manner which
>made it a success in Japan. Much of the time, it has been made to conform
>to the thoughts of corporate management of various companies, who have
>perhaps taken pieces of imode and discarded what made it successful ion the
>first place (e.g., simplicity in development, good pricing, preferential
>deals to the content developer).
>
>In effect, some of the telecoms have replicated the mistakes they made with
>WAP, and this is reflected in their poor showing in imode usage and offering
>quality.
>
>Bouygues avoided many of these pitfalls. They have gone to pains to give
>the content developers the full benefits of the imode model and platform,
>which has resulted in far better service quality. Moreover, Bouygues has
>gone to pains to educate the consumer on the benefits of imode and has
>promoted the service (3 euros per month introductory rate for access) and
>the compatible handsets (e.g., a top level imode phone for 99 euros).
>
>At the end of the day, the reason why Bouygues has succeeded so far is
>because they have actually worked hard to get quality content out there with
>the service. They actually listened to Natsuno's team and enabled the
>content owners and produced worthwhile services as a result.
>
>This is why they have won. The Minitel is irrelevant to this.
>
>Mark
>
>
>
>On 5/12/03 8:38, "Juergen Specht" <js@nooper.com> wrote:
>
> >
> >> You know, most of the reason that imode is so much more successful has
> >> nothing to do with he minitel, but on solid work done by content
> owners and
> >> Bouygues to get it right.
> >> That's my view, anyway..
> >
> > It's always good to have an opinion :) (and I value it).
> >
> > But as old fashioned Minitel now sounds, it created a foundation
> > for acceptance of these convenient online services.
> >
> > I remember visiting a friend in Paris sometimes in the 80ties (?)
> > and he impressed me pretty much that he checked the cinema program,
> > reserved some seats in a restaurant etc, just by clicking some
> > buttons. Using Minitel was just "normal" for everybody.
> >
> > So I always thought that France is the country where the acceptance
> > will be greater than in Germany.
> >
> > I follow some online discussions about i-mode in Germany and there are
> > some supporters (who all miss some kind interconnectivity in one way
> > or the other with their non i-mode friends) and some people who just
> > hate i-mode. This goes all the way up to call it a "rice cooker
> > service" and worse.
> >
> > Anyway, I would like to hear the opinion of a French person living
> > in France and preferable not working for Bouygues about the perception
> > of i-mode users and if (just if) they see any relation to good ol'
> > Minitel.
> >
> > Thanks in advance,
> >
> > Juergen
>
>--
>Mark Frieser
>Consect
>+1 917 855 2669
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Philip Sidel
Assistant Professor of Marketing
The International University of Japan
Graduate School of International Management
Phone: 81-(0)25-779-1400
Fax: 81-(0)25-779-4443
Email: psidel@iuj.ac.jp
Received on Tue May 13 05:06:03 2003