As a wireless data consultant who specializes in creating new or improving existing wireless data businesses, I'm always interested in applications that could...create new or improve existing wireless data businesses!
I was reading The New York Times article about how Evan Williams, co-founder of Pyra Labs/Blogger and a friend of his, Noah Glass of Listen Lab/Audioblogger, are launching Odeo, a podcast hosting company.
This isn't wireless data per se...Listen Lab and Audioblogger services have been incorporated into Odeo. I started thinking that podcasting could be a great way for cellular operators to generate additional revenues.
Podcasting and cellular
Odeo's goal is to create the "Blogger" of podcasting -- making the creation and posting of podcasts as easy as blogging. That means you could use any voice device -- landline phone, Voice over IP phone, cellular phone -- to record a podcast.
Marketing podcasting -- or a more consumer (not early adopter)-oriented name -- to cellular subscribers could be a way for the wireless industry to generate more airtime revenues as well as generating some excitement for voice services.
Voice revenues certainly produce the majority of revenues for cellular carriers, although the non-voice applications are producing the excitement and, sometimes, disappointments.
Beyond podcasting
Thinking beyond podcasting -- just posting voice -- there also are opportunities for generating revenues from posting videos (video blogging, vlogging, whatever). Some cellular operators offer and promote posting videos, but it's still an esoteric application for consumers.
Comments