Comments on: The Research In Motion / AT&T Relationship Is Getting Dicey http://www.rimarkable.com/the-research-in-motion-att-relationship-is-getting-dicey The Official, Unofficial BlackBerry Weblog Thu, 04 Dec 2008 02:06:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: Mike Will http://www.rimarkable.com/the-research-in-motion-att-relationship-is-getting-dicey#comment-116200 Mike Will Wed, 06 Aug 2008 16:07:40 +0000 http://www.rimarkable.com/the-research-in-motion-att-relationship-is-getting-dicey#comment-116200 Many Corp users typically never see an ATT store....or Verizion for that matter. They order from the vendor directly on a daily basis via their IT, facility or procurement departments. BB orders maintain a steady stream at my company. But when new BB devices come out, there is a major surge...just like the consumers rushing to Iphones. Even tho we don't like them to buy new phones but every 2 years, they find a way to lose, break or "hand-me-down to the new guy" in order to get the latest and greatest BB. That'll happen with Bold and Thunder soon. Bad thing is; when some go for Bold, they'll want to go to Thunder only a few months later. That happened with the Curve over the 8800's. Many Corp users typically never see an ATT store….or Verizion for that matter. They order from the vendor directly on a daily basis via their IT, facility or procurement departments. BB orders maintain a steady stream at my company. But when new BB devices come out, there is a major surge…just like the consumers rushing to Iphones. Even tho we don’t like them to buy new phones but every 2 years, they find a way to lose, break or “hand-me-down to the new guy” in order to get the latest and greatest BB. That’ll happen with Bold and Thunder soon. Bad thing is; when some go for Bold, they’ll want to go to Thunder only a few months later. That happened with the Curve over the 8800’s.

]]> By: MacVicta http://www.rimarkable.com/the-research-in-motion-att-relationship-is-getting-dicey#comment-116185 MacVicta Tue, 05 Aug 2008 18:02:55 +0000 http://www.rimarkable.com/the-research-in-motion-att-relationship-is-getting-dicey#comment-116185 " I work in an AT&T store and every since about a week or 10 days before the release of the iPhone 3G, our BlackBerry sales have dropped significantly." That would jibe with the report that Apple's now manufacturing 800,000 iPhones a week. They're pretty tight with the supply chain and wouldn't do such a thing if they weren't sure the demand was there. ” I work in an AT&T store and every since about a week or 10 days before the release of the iPhone 3G, our BlackBerry sales have dropped significantly.”

That would jibe with the report that Apple’s now manufacturing 800,000 iPhones a week. They’re pretty tight with the supply chain and wouldn’t do such a thing if they weren’t sure the demand was there.

]]> By: Thought http://www.rimarkable.com/the-research-in-motion-att-relationship-is-getting-dicey#comment-116184 Thought Tue, 05 Aug 2008 13:46:33 +0000 http://www.rimarkable.com/the-research-in-motion-att-relationship-is-getting-dicey#comment-116184 Robb nails it: the issue is not whether GSM is bigger than CDMA across the world...it undoubtedly is. The issue is the market for RIM and that CDMA is huge for RIM...and as Robb notes, by far and away their biggest market is the US, and in the US they sell about as many CDMA BB's as GSM... In short, CDMA BB's are a huge market for RIM and a huge portion of their profits...it's a niche that cannot and should not be neglected or given secondary status. If RIM would be able to release the Bold right about now on Verizon then they would have something to crow about while Apple scoops up the sales. As it is Apple will own the entire summer. Robb nails it: the issue is not whether GSM is bigger than CDMA across the world…it undoubtedly is.

The issue is the market for RIM and that CDMA is huge for RIM…and as Robb notes, by far and away their biggest market is the US, and in the US they sell about as many CDMA BB’s as GSM…

In short, CDMA BB’s are a huge market for RIM and a huge portion of their profits…it’s a niche that cannot and should not be neglected or given secondary status. If RIM would be able to release the Bold right about now on Verizon then they would have something to crow about while Apple scoops up the sales. As it is Apple will own the entire summer.

]]> By: Robb Dunewood http://www.rimarkable.com/the-research-in-motion-att-relationship-is-getting-dicey#comment-116180 Robb Dunewood Tue, 05 Aug 2008 06:46:57 +0000 http://www.rimarkable.com/the-research-in-motion-att-relationship-is-getting-dicey#comment-116180 Is GSM the global standard? Yes Does RIM have more GSM carriers than CDMA? Yes Is CDMA a dead network technology? Not dead but dying off... We'll call that a Yes Why does none of this matter? Most BlackBerrys sold in RIM's biggest market which has over 70% global market share are CDMA based. If you don't count North American GSM carriers, more CDMA BlackBerrys are sold than all other GSM carriers combined. Is GSM the global standard? Yes
Does RIM have more GSM carriers than CDMA? Yes
Is CDMA a dead network technology? Not dead but dying off… We’ll call that a Yes

Why does none of this matter?

Most BlackBerrys sold in RIM’s biggest market which has over 70% global market share are CDMA based. If you don’t count North American GSM carriers, more CDMA BlackBerrys are sold than all other GSM carriers combined.

]]> By: Albert http://www.rimarkable.com/the-research-in-motion-att-relationship-is-getting-dicey#comment-116179 Albert Tue, 05 Aug 2008 05:44:40 +0000 http://www.rimarkable.com/the-research-in-motion-att-relationship-is-getting-dicey#comment-116179 I think that RIM's strategy will be coming out with dual technology handsets as the Thunder moving forward to reduce the lag between carriers. Ultimately if they wish to maintain their enterprise dominance they will have to do a few things 1) Eliminate the BESCAL 2) Do more to promote BlackBerry Unite or Professional 3) Have professionals design and put more themes on the BB I think that RIM’s strategy will be coming out with dual technology handsets as the Thunder moving forward to reduce the lag between carriers. Ultimately if they wish to maintain their enterprise dominance they will have to do a few things

1) Eliminate the BESCAL
2) Do more to promote BlackBerry Unite or Professional
3) Have professionals design and put more themes on the BB

]]> By: bluehorseshoe http://www.rimarkable.com/the-research-in-motion-att-relationship-is-getting-dicey#comment-116178 bluehorseshoe Tue, 05 Aug 2008 04:13:41 +0000 http://www.rimarkable.com/the-research-in-motion-att-relationship-is-getting-dicey#comment-116178 Hey, hellno... I mean Bob is back. Hey, hellno… I mean Bob is back.

]]> By: Bob http://www.rimarkable.com/the-research-in-motion-att-relationship-is-getting-dicey#comment-116177 Bob Mon, 04 Aug 2008 22:24:37 +0000 http://www.rimarkable.com/the-research-in-motion-att-relationship-is-getting-dicey#comment-116177 You keep saying the same thing so apparently you don't get it. CDMA is a dead network technology. GSM is the global standard. Hundreds of GSM carriers offer the BlackBerry outside of the United States. A few dozen offer CDMA. It would be a weak business move by RIM if they focused on CDMA. Plain and simple... You keep saying the same thing so apparently you don’t get it. CDMA is a dead network technology. GSM is the global standard. Hundreds of GSM carriers offer the BlackBerry outside of the United States. A few dozen offer CDMA. It would be a weak business move by RIM if they focused on CDMA. Plain and simple…

]]> By: Lou Viamoto http://www.rimarkable.com/the-research-in-motion-att-relationship-is-getting-dicey#comment-116176 Lou Viamoto Mon, 04 Aug 2008 22:07:54 +0000 http://www.rimarkable.com/the-research-in-motion-att-relationship-is-getting-dicey#comment-116176 RIM is definitely feeling something. I work in an AT&T store and every since about a week or 10 days before the release of the iPhone 3G, our BlackBerry sales have dropped significantly. We used to get regular people coming in all the time looking for the BlackBerry Curve and a few for the BlackBerry Pearl. Since the iPhone came out the only customers coming in looking specifically for the BlackBerry are corporate types getting them for work. We’ve had more people come in looking for BlackBerry Bold and walking out with an iPhone than we have had folks walking in for an iPhone and walking out with we have have way more Curves than we do iPhones. RIM is definitely feeling something. I work in an AT&T store and every since about a week or 10 days before the release of the iPhone 3G, our BlackBerry sales have dropped significantly. We used to get regular people coming in all the time looking for the BlackBerry Curve and a few for the BlackBerry Pearl.

Since the iPhone came out the only customers coming in looking specifically for the BlackBerry are corporate types getting them for work. We’ve had more people come in looking for BlackBerry Bold and walking out with an iPhone than we have had folks walking in for an iPhone and walking out with we have have way more Curves than we do iPhones.

]]> By: Thought http://www.rimarkable.com/the-research-in-motion-att-relationship-is-getting-dicey#comment-116174 Thought Mon, 04 Aug 2008 20:47:07 +0000 http://www.rimarkable.com/the-research-in-motion-att-relationship-is-getting-dicey#comment-116174 I have always advocated that the way for RIM to compete would be to release CDMA devices for VZW concurrent with GSM releases. Leverage the value of the VZW subscriber base and their reputation for network reliability. But until RIM or VZW feel it in their wallets nothing will change. Perhaps finally they are feeling enough heat from the iPhone. I will also say this: Go to any Apple store and to this day there are long lines waiting to purchase an iPhone 3G. I don't think we've ever seen anything like this in a cell phone before, and you cannot tell me that the iPhone is not impacting VZW or RIM sales. I have always advocated that the way for RIM to compete would be to release CDMA devices for VZW concurrent with GSM releases.

Leverage the value of the VZW subscriber base and their reputation for network reliability.

But until RIM or VZW feel it in their wallets nothing will change. Perhaps finally they are feeling enough heat from the iPhone.

I will also say this: Go to any Apple store and to this day there are long lines waiting to purchase an iPhone 3G. I don’t think we’ve ever seen anything like this in a cell phone before, and you cannot tell me that the iPhone is not impacting VZW or RIM sales.

]]>