Comments
clrmoney
3/9/2018 2:45:11 PM
User Rank Platinum
Spell USA With or Without 5G
I think that that is totally ridiculous to say that because some people are okay with this advanced technolgy and some people aren't because some it when things were more simple decades ago. With 5G I think it will be a blessing as well as a curse.
srufolo1
3/11/2018 11:39:06 PM
User Rank Platinum
Re: Spell USA With or Without 5G
@clrmoney I agree with you that 5G could be a blessing and a curse at the same time. What will the demand for this technology really be? Many people don't like the idea of change, and the smartphones could be prohibitively expensive too.
elizabethv
3/12/2018 2:27:32 PM
User Rank Platinum
Re: Spell USA With or Without 5G
@srufolo1 - I would say the latest and top of the line cell phones are already pretty cost prohibitive. I have friends who previously tried to keep up with the latest cell phones and over the last few years have willingly downgraded to lesser phones. I attribute this in part to cost, but also because there is starting to be a pull away from technology. I saw last week there is a phone that is deliberately being released with minimal technology available. The phone allows for calls and text messages. And that's just about it. And honestly, I'm seriously considering getting one.
srufolo1
3/13/2018 2:07:41 PM
User Rank Platinum
Re: Spell USA With or Without 5G
@elizabethv You know, that really makes sense. Some people don't really need, or want, all the bells and whistles (I'm thinking the elderly that use their phones just to keep in contact). It's such a great way of buying only what you can afford, not what technology dictates you need.
JohnBarnes
3/13/2018 2:34:24 PM
User Rank Platinum
Re: Spell USA With or Without 5G
ElizabethV,
The odd thing about tech is the reason that economics textbooks do their best to ignore it, even today: once a thing is possible at all, it very rapidly becomes much better, then much cheaper, and eventually becomes standard and almost mandatory. Simplified cell phones won't actually be much cheaper (if at all) for manufacturers or telecoms, but consumers will expect them to be, so there's apt to be quite a bit of price resistance to them, and they will probably have a much lower profit margin.
The a la carte of deletion and opting out is very different from the a la carte of addition and opting in.
elizabethv
3/13/2018 5:15:22 PM
User Rank Platinum
Re: Spell USA With or Without 5G
@John Barnes - that's a really good point, and I honestly didn't go and look at the price of the phones. Though people will definitely expect them to be cheaper, I fully do. And I certainly wouldn't pay anywhere near what I paid for my Samsung S8 for a phone that only allows me to text and call people. I guess the company is now releasing it's second "simple phone." So they can't be doing too badly. But time will tell I suppose.
Ariella
3/13/2018 5:49:45 PM
User Rank Author
Re: Spell USA With or Without 5G
@JohnBarnes I don't know if that applies to Apple phones, though. They seem to just increase in price with each iteration. Consumers don't seem to cap what they'll pay for their beloved iPhones.
DHagar
3/13/2018 6:23:46 PM
User Rank Platinum
Re: Spell USA With or Without 5G
@Ariella, that is a great point! That model holds true when you are talking about similar products, which results in the product becoming more of a commodity. But today's markets, with "branded" products and services (i.e., Apple, Starbucks, etc.), the exclusivity of the features, brand, "experience", command and hold a high price and increasingly grow in value.
afwriter
3/13/2018 10:20:25 PM
User Rank Platinum
Re: Spell USA With or Without 5G
I think that is true to an extent but there was a lot of pushback when it was announced that the iPhone X would break the $1,000 for the first time. People still bought them but there was more gripping than usual about the price.
JohnBarnes
3/13/2018 11:50:00 PM
User Rank Platinum
Re: Spell USA With or Without 5G
I think all of you are right (and that I am too, of course); Ariella is surely right that prices can keep rising as long as tech makes big enough steps forward each time, DHagar is right that branding is a big part of keeping the advances foremost in people’s minds, and afwriter is also clearly right that there has to be a limit somewhere. But still I think we’re in a Red Queen’s Race, where yesterday’s hot new breakthrough is today’s luxury option and tomorrow’s basic feature — and priced and sold accordingly.
Ariella
3/14/2018 9:24:44 AM
User Rank Author
Re: Spell USA With or Without 5G
<I think we're in a Red Queen's Race, where yesterday's hot new breakthrough is today's luxury option and tomorrow's basic feature — and priced and sold accordingly. >
@JohnBarnes I agree that is the general rule. There's a general correlation between the escalation of tech and the escalation of expectations. And, yes, for many things prices come down. Consider how a pocket calculator was considered a substantial purchase around 1980 but now can be picked up for just a couple of dollars. The funny thing about cell phones, though, is that even while some more basic styles drop down to the point of being considered "burner" phones (which would have been considered a significant piece of technology a decade or two back), people are still paying very high prices for the latest ones with all the bells and whistles
elizabethv
3/15/2018 4:35:01 PM
User Rank Platinum
Re: Spell USA With or Without 5G
"people are still paying very high prices for the latest ones with all the bells and whistles."
@Ariella - That is certainly true. Even in a state where I've been considering taking a step back from technology for awhile, I still sprung and got the S8 when it came out. (Though I seriously owuld have reconsidered if I had realized ahead of time the charger isn't a traiditonal micro-usb.) I've spent more money trying to amass Type C USB chargers or adapters than I truly care for. Still it's a good phone, so it just is what it is. And what it is, is a lot of technology. Expensive (kind of) technology.
Ariella
3/15/2018 4:42:10 PM
User Rank Author
Re: Spell USA With or Without 5G
@elizabeth so long as you enjoy what you get out of it, I'd say you got your money's worth. The only thing that could tempt me would be the quality of the pictures, but I'm still holding off.
afwriter
3/9/2018 10:50:27 PM
User Rank Platinum
Snowball?
First of all, thanks for the list. Secondly, I wonder if the deployment of 5G smartphones in the U.S. will have a snowball effect and push for faster deployment into the consumer market.
mpouraryan
3/11/2018 7:38:57 PM
User Rank Platinum
Re: Snowball?
ON the prowl as I reflected upon Sarah's Thoughts-the issue is one of cost and the viability of it for the consumer market.
elizabethv
3/12/2018 2:29:16 PM
User Rank Platinum
Re: Snowball?
@afwriter - It will be interesting to see where the list ends up taking smartphone technology as a whole. But what I found extremely interesting about the list is the complete lack of mention of Apple products participating in a 5G phone. I would imagine they will, but that they are absent from the list definitely makes me curious. Are they being intentionally late to the game?
afwriter
3/12/2018 10:13:15 PM
User Rank Platinum
Re: Snowball?
Good question. How long did it take for them to adopt Near Field Communication?
Ariella
3/13/2018 11:47:52 AM
User Rank Author
Re: Snowball?
@elizabeth Back in November Fast Company put out a report on Apple's looking to build 5G phones with Intel chips. See https://www.fastcompany.com/40497639/source-apple-is-looking-to-intel-to-power-super-fast-5g-iphone
elizabethv
3/13/2018 5:27:11 PM
User Rank Platinum
Re: Snowball?
@Ariella - thanks for sharing the link. It's good to know they have plans to venture into the 5G realm, perhaps they just haven't picked a provider yet to release with. Though my guess is they'll at least do T-Mobile, Verizon and either Sprint or AT&T. I'm sure even if they don't have their technology ready to go in time for the release of 5G with the major carriers, they won't be so far behind in the game that their brand will suffer any.
elizabethv
3/12/2018 2:25:08 PM
User Rank Platinum
Europe
"and Europe is in danger of lagging in deployments."
I always get the feeling Europe just isn't as concerned with keeping up with the Jones'. Not that they don't want to play at all, just that they don't need to make a ton of racket about being the first or the best. They generally come along at their own pace with technology that is sufficent for the needs of their people. I haven't been a in few years admittedly, but I never visited a major economic area of Europe and thought, "Gee, they sure are behind in the times."
afwriter
3/12/2018 10:21:43 PM
User Rank Platinum
Re: Europe
I've only been once, recently, and they were right where we are in the US as far as I could tell. Of course, we are right on the precipice of a new era. I would venture to guess that you are right, they'll get there when they get there and it won't be too far behind everyone else.
|
|
Italy's 5G auction could exceed a government target of raising €2.5 billion ($2.9 billion) after attracting interest from companies outside the mobile market.
The emerging-markets operator is focusing on the humdrum business of connectivity and keeping quiet about some of its ill-fated 'digitalization' efforts.
Three UK has picked Huawei over existing radio access network suppliers Nokia and Samsung to build its 5G network.
Vendor says that it's its biggest 5G deal to date.
Verizon skates where the puck is going by waiting for standards-based 5G devices to launch its mobile service in 2019.
Orange has been one of the leading proponents of SDN and NFV. In this Telco Transformation radio show, Orange's John Isch provides some perspective on his company's NFV/SDN journey.
10/16/2017
Huawei Network Transformation Seminar
The adoption of virtualization technology and cloud architectures by telecom network operators is now well underway but there is still a long way to go before the transition to an era of Network Functions Cloudification (NFC) is complete.
The Small Cell Forum's CEO Sue Monahan says that small cells will be crucial for indoor 5G coverage, but challenges around business models, siting ...
People, strategy, a strong technology roadmap and new business processes are the key underpinnings of Telstra's digital transformation, COO Robyn ...
Eric Bozich, vice president of products and marketing at CenturyLink, talks about the challenges and opportunities of integrating Level 3 into ...
Epsilon's Mark Daley, director of digital strategy and business development, talks about digital transformation from a wholesale service provider ...
Bill Walker, CenturyLink's director of network architecture, shares his insights on why training isn't enough for IT employees and traditional ...
All Videos
|
On-the-Air Thursdays Digital Audio
Special Huawei Video
Tweet This