NextWave may be positioning as not becoming an operator but rather an enabler. But you can analyze this similar to what Qualcomm is doing with MediaFlow in 700 MHz spectrum, which, by the way, NextWave told me they are very interested in the upcoming auctions in the U.S. and other regions. While not becoming a 'customer facing' operator per se, NextWave continues to acquire spectrum and plan and deploy networks.
Qualcomm owns 700 MHz spectrum, designed, patented, built and deployed their MediaFlow system, and now wholesales provision of service to Verizon and other operators. Are they a service provider? Of course they are. But since they let the customer facing service provider brand the service and run their own mix of content and applications over it, they can also claim to be an enabler rather than a full-fledged service provider. This business model fits well with the trend for operators to increasingly become aggregators of services - not necessarily having to own or author each one.
But this puts incumbent service providers in a less leveraged, more tenable position than having ownership of spectrum licenses.
NextWave says that they want to add value or enable triple/quadruple play services for mobile, cable and DSL operators. So, they see themselves, depending on the particulars of what spectrum they have and the situation of the targeted customer, as enabling WBA, mobile, IPTV, VoIP or other mix of capabilities that enhances the service provider's total offering to make it more competitive. They can't reasonably scale to become a global integrated customer facing telecom service provider. The marketing costs aspect alone would be daunting.
There are parts of this that I can't discuss publicly right now because I am still doing research and will include it in follow up for customers of my WiMAX, LTE 4G IPR report and newsletter.
- Robert Syputa |
