Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Mobile Broadband Market Changing?

Up to this point, the "connected devices" market has been driven principally by mobile broadband access for PCs and notebooks. But a new wave of devices, especially tablet devices, seems to require less-expensive, contract-less service plans.

In part, the difference is the more-casual use mode for tablets, which often are not replacements for "work" devices such as notebooks or netbooks, and more content consumption devices that often will be used where Wi-Fi connections are available.

That means the usefulness of a 3G or 4G network connection is lower. Less value tends to imply lower prices, and less willingness to pay for two-year contracts.

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