Regional Mobile Alliances: Who Do They Serve?

This IDC study investigates the evolution, establishment, and future of mobile alliances in the Asia/Pacific region. It outlines the history of earlier telecommunications alliances in other markets and the current progress of mobile alliances in Europe. It includes assessments of the key drivers behind alliances in Asia/Pacific, benefits to members and subscribers, potential benefits, and concerns for their future. This will be of value to mobile operators and service providers investigating joining and alliance, vendors addressing the alliances and their members and those parties considering forming an alliance. The market perception of mobile alliances and their value is a key element to their success. How mobile alliances will develop their own brand at the same time increasing the worth of their members' brands remains to be seen. Although roaming revenues are the initial area addressed by mobile alliances a number of other drivers are relevant such as sharing of resources and technology, creating economies of scale, joint development of future technologies, and sharing of experiences.

"The mobile alliances forming in Asia/Pacific have the advantage of observing the successes and failures of alliances in other regions and applying these experiences to this unique market," says Tony Poulos, contributing analyst, Telecommunications Research, IDC Asia/Pacific.