IP: Forbes.com: Say What? [More Press realizing that Cellular Phones aren't going to make it]

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

> Date: Mon, 29 Jan 2001 08:24:57 -0800
> From: Robert J Berger <rberger () ultradevices com>
>
>
> By making it, I mean being a major way we do activities other than 
> mediocre, but mobile voice service...
> And they may financially crash as well...
>
> "...Such problems are all too common in the cellular business. Fifteen 
> years after wireless went mainstream, dropped, blocked and staticky calls 
> remain a constant source of aggravation. The U.S. industry has spent $80 
> billion building and expanding networks since 1985—half of that in just 
> the past four years. But to legions of frustrated customers, it wasn't 
> nearly enough.
>
> ...
>
> The sad truth is it could get worse. AT&T, Verizon and other carriers have 
> signed up new customers at a far faster rate than they have increased 
> network spending. The U.S. now has 100 million wireless subscribers, more 
> than triple the total in 1995—but annual network spending has barely 
> doubled. The wireless industry's network spending amounted to only $490 
> for each new subscriber last year, only half as much as in the three 
> previous years, Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association data show.
>
> Building next-generation networks could require worldwide spending of a 
> staggering $250 billion in just the next three years, says equipment maker 
> Nortel. That could include $60 billion in the U.S. alone. It is 
> questionable whether carriers, even if they were willing to spend what's 
> needed, could raise such massive sums at a time when the stock market is 
> manic-depressive and junk bonds are in disarray...."
>
> http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2001/0122/124.html
> --
> Robert J. Berger
> UltraDevices, Inc.
> 257 Castro Street, Suite 223 Mt. View CA. 94041
> Email: rberger () ultradevices com http://www.ultradevices.com
> Voice: 408-882-4755 Fax: 408-490-2868



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