3 UK’s ceo Bob Fuller chose the launch of new handsets, TV and music services on the operator’s network to brand his company as the “only real player” in the triple play convergence market.
Branding 3 a “media company”, rather than a plain old mobile operator, Fuller said that the industry was at an “inflection point” and that “the plates have shifted, and previous boundaries are disappearing..
“Media companies are starting to realise their relationships with customers must change, and we at 3 have been the catalyst in that change,” he said. “ITV, Sky and the BBC have recognised that 3G brings us close to their customers.”
Fuller said the the true convergence device was not a portable games player, nor an ipod or MP3 player, but the mobile phone. He claimed the operator now had 86% coverage of the population just as its competitors are reaching the point where they face “the same problems we faced some time ago on network expansion and customer growth.”
Fuller’s bullish tone lead some commentators to the conclusion he was addressing the wider capital markets. 3’s owners have said an IPO of the business is in the pipeline for 2006. The Italian business is set for a flotation prior to the UK operation, however.
Fuller spoke as the network announced a new customer generated video clip service, SeeMeTV, which will see the most popular clips earn their creators money. 3 is also launching “dual download” music service, which will let users download music to both their phone and PC for the same price. There was also an expanded TV line-up to announce, including CNN and ITN.