Low to Negative Returns on Communications Network Investment?

Bernstein analyst Craig Moffett argues that, over the last decade, the returns on invested capital in communications networks in U.S. markets have been anemic, at best. He argues that economic value creation has been, in aggregate, barely positive.

Wireline networks have the weakest returns on invested capital with a 1.5 percent gain over the last decade. Wireless networks had a meager return of 0.3 percent. Cable garnered a 2.5 percent return. Satellite networks had the best return on invested capital at 5.5 percent. Others stocks --AT&T, Comcast, Dish, Sprint and Verizon -- have negative returns, he argues.

Low to Negative Returns on Communications Network Investment?

59 Percent of Universal Service Funds Used for 'Overhead?

The universal service program in the United States, despite its good intentions, is ineffective, inefficient, and inequitable, said Scott Wallsten , research vice president and senior fellow at the Technology Policy Institute.

Analyzing data submitted by about 1,400 recipients of high-cost subsidies from 1998 to 2008, Wallsten found that of each dollar distributed to recipient firms, about 59 cents goes to “general and administrative expenses” overhead such as planning, government relations, and personnel, rather than to making telephone services more affordable.

Telecommunications - 59 Percent of Universal Service Funds Used for 'Overhead'?

13 Percent of Immigrant Americans Own Tablets

Some 13 percent of immigrant Americans already own a tablet, representing approximately five million users, a study by Rebtel has found. The results were based on 1,340 responses from immigrants residing in the United States, which represent a consumer segment of approximately 38 million consumers. By way of comparison, Nielsen says only four percent of all Americans own a tablet.

French Americans claim the highest percentage of tablet owners (17 percent), followed by Mexican-Americans (15 percent), Nigerian-Americans, and Ghana-Americans at 14 percent respectively rounded out by Ethiopian-Americans at eight percent and Cuban-Americans at seven percent.

13 Percent of Immigrant Americans Own Tablets

LightSquared Might Lease Sprint Facilities

LightSquared is in discussions to use Sprint Nextel Corp.’s cell sites and equipment to help build out its network, Businessweek reports.

The deal would allow LightSquared to roll out its network more quickly and at lower cost, but also could have ramifications for Clearwire. At least in principle, Sprint itself could use LightSquared facilities for Long Term Evolution traffic, if Sprint decides to add LTE as an air interface in the future (perhaps it is a foregone conclusion that Sprint will formally launch an LTE network, beginning sometime later in 2011 or early 2012).

Sprint, Falcone’s LightSquared Said to Discuss Network Deal - Businessweek

Facebook Dominates Social Networking, Growth Slows

Facebook users in the United States seem to include more than half of all Internet users, measured by log-ins at least once a month, says eMarketer.

In 2011, 132.5 million U.S. web users will use the site monthly, eMarketer forecasts. That increase of 13.4 percent in the number of users means Facebook will reach nearly 90 percent of social network users and 57.1 percent of Internet users. By 2013, 62 percent of web users and almost half (47.6 percent) of the overall US population will be on Facebook.

But that very substantial penetration also means single-digit U.S. user growth in users after 2011.

Twitter will have higher growth rates, at least in part because relatively fewer online Americans use the microblogging service. By the end of 2010, 16.4 million U.S. adults, or nine percent of the adult Internet population, used Twitter. Growth will surpass 26 percent in 2011 as Twitter reaches 11 percent of Internet users and 16.5 percent of U.S. adult social network users. By 2013, nearly 28 million Americans will be tweeting.

Press Release - eMarketer

NEC Medias: Docomo To Offer The World’s Thinnest Smartphone

NEC Casio Mobile plans to introduce what is described as the thinnest phone in the world within weeks. The "Medias" device measures just 7.7 millimeters thick and weighs 105 grams. The Android device features a four-inch touchscreen, Gorilla Glass and Android 2.2, with an update to 2.3 promised for the summer of 2011. It will run on the Docomo network operated by NTT.

NEC Medias: Docomo To Offer The World’s Thinnest Smartphone

Unmet Enterprise "Mobility" Segments 42% of All Workers

Nobody seems to argue that enterprises are better off using all sorts of technology tools. But one might always get an argument about which tools various associated require. Consider the matter of company-issued mobile phones or smartphones, which have become a huge cost element for most enterprises.

Forrester Research estimates many enterprise IT managers are underestimating demand for mobility solutions, especially from two employee segments Forrester Research calls "mobile wannabes and mobile mavericks."

"Mobile wannabes" are employees not considered to be "mobile" workers who need mobile tools. "Mobile mavericks" are employees who use smartphones for work but without company support.

Combined, those two worker segments currently account for 22 percent of all employees; by 2015, they will grow significantly to 42 percent of all corporate employees.

Mobile wannabe workers can include executive assistants, human resource workers and customer service representatives, Forrester says. Mobile maverick employees buy their own smartphones and download their own productivity and communications apps to do their jobs on the go. Common apps include email, calendar and voice. About half use However, half of navigation applications and instant messaging services, and one quarter use social apps for some work-related purpose.

The Rise Of Wannabe And Maverick Mobile Workers - Forrester Research