Found via CatsMob. Click the photo to see the source.
That crazy old wizard just typed grep . ./droids.txt | grep -v r2-d2 | grep -v c-3p0
!
We posted this graph back in July, but it’s worth repeating from time to time: according to tech consultant Chetan Sharma’s US Mobile Market Q1 2014 report, where he pointed out that as of late last year, more than half of the “Big Four” mobile carriers’ ARPU (average revenue per user) comes from data:
Click the graph to see it at full size.
As mobile devices become more powerful and take on new forms (first phones, then tablets, now watches and “smart bands”), and as they find their way into more aspects of our work and home lives, their usage — and in turn, mobile data usage and spending — will continue to increase. If you’re in the business of managing mobile expenses like we are, knowing what drives the carriers’ behaviors and offerings is key to finding efficiencies and savings opportunities.
Forbes recently posted an article looking at AT&T and Verizon’s current “more data for less money” offers, where they looked at both telcos’ offerings and compiled them into a single table, which we’ve adapted below:
AT&T | Verizon | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Monthly fee | Old | New | Old | New |
$40 | 2GB | 3GB | 1GB | 1GB |
$70 | 4GB | 6GB | 4GB | 4GB |
$80 | 6GB | 6GB * | 6GB | 10GB |
$100 | n/a | n/a | 10GB | 15GB |
$130 | 15GB | 30GB | 16GB | 30GB |
$150 | 20GB | 20GB | 40GB |
* AT&T has a 6GB plan at this price, but it may be discontinued.
Data from Forbes. Click here to see the source.
Some notable bits of info from the article:
Ars Technica’s Lee Hutchinson was a happy and loyal customer of his carrier until he tried to unlock his device so he could use a local prepaid SIM card while visiting Germany for a week. That’s when it all went downhill, and he shares his story in this article.
The Kansas City Star reports that newly-minted Sprint CEO Marcelo Claure will present his first quarterly report today, the 2Q 2014 report, after the markets close. His first three months — he took over from former CEO Dan Hesse in August after their failed attempt to buy T-Mobile — have seen the carrier change strategies, lay off employees, and cut prices.
Bidness Etc. aren’t very optimistic about the report: while Sprint will likely show an increase in the metrics for current subscribers, there probably won’t be an increase in the number of subscribers, and between price cuts and the cost of network upgrades, ARPU (average revenue per user) is likely to take a hit.
And finally, because a lot of people can’t get enough of him, here’s Sci-Tech Today’s profile of T-Mobile CEO John Legere. He’s loud, he’s audacious, and in a mere two years changed both the company and its public perception dramatically, as well as the way the other carriers have had to do business in response.