[3GScottishUser]

From e-consultancy (30/06/2006):

3, the mobile operator with the dubious brand name, has teamed up with Yahoo to finally allow its users to access the web via mobile handsets.

The telecoms group today announced a global agreement with Yahoo to demolish its ill-advised 'walled garden'.

Despite being the first mobile operator to roll-out a 3G network in the UK, 3 users haven't been able to visit websites of their own choosing, instead being force-fed a diet of 3-approved websites and services.

Now, in mid-2006, the company has changed its tune and will integrate various Yahoo services into its mobile web offering, including Yahoo! Search, Yahoo! Mobile Web, Yahoo! Messenger, Yahoo! Mail, and Yahoo! Go for Mobile.

3 said: "This agreement breaks new ground in the convergence of the online and mobile experience by bringing some of the world’s most popular online content and services to mobile broadband handsets."

How exactly is this "breaking new ground"? T-Mobile's Web'n'Walk offering works perfectly well and has allowed me to access the web without imposing 3-esque restrictions. And what's all this about "mobile broadband"?

But wait, there's more flowery PR statements in the press release: "For 3, this is another step in a series of landmark deals that will open up a range of no-nonsense Internet-based services to its global customers and will drive customer acquisition, usage and traffic on 3’s mobile networks."

I guess partnering with Yahoo can be described as a landmark deal, but as ever it is 3's focus on customer acquisition that is most troubling. Customer retention should be the company's priority, in my view.

God knows what customer churn is like at 3, if my experience as a consumer is anything to go by. I spent the first six months trying to explain to customer services that I was unable to send a text message on my shiny new 3G handset. Rubbish.

I racked up about 30 hours of telephone calls in that timeframe (with no successful outcome until head office was contacted) and have a mortal loathing of Norah Jones as a result (3's choice of non-soothing hold music). Not what I expected from my first 3G experience. And since 3 occupies the unfortunate position of being one of the most-hated brands in the UK we can assume that I’m not alone.

Roll forward a couple of years and it looks like these are desperate times for 3. James Bashford of Enders Analysis told the Sunday Times last month that he believes churn rates could be running at "more than 50%".

More broadly, the company does not appear to be in good shape, and like many struggling companies 3 seems blinded by a desire to acquire yet more customers, rather than trying to keep existing ones happy.

Think of all those expensive, weird TV and press ads, and the low-rent subscription rates and the free handsets 3 gives away to lure new customers, not to mention the fees it pays out to a number of unethical third party sales houses to randomly contact / annoy consumers by giving them the hard-sell. When the hell did I opt in to that sort of marketing? And how do I opt out?

You can only wonder how much 3 spends on customer acquisition. But unless it learns how to hold onto customers for (much) longer it might as well not bother.

Customer retention and growing average customer lifetime value is of paramount importance if 3 ever expects to generate a return on investment for Li-Ka-shing, the billionaire chairman of parent company Hutchison Whampoa.

Never has it been so difficult to avoid a pun...

http://www.e-consultancy.com/news-blog/361311/troubled-mobile-operator-3-loses-walled-garden.html

[hecatae]

From e-consultancy (30/06/2006):


But wait, there's more flowery PR statements in the press release: "For 3, this is another step in a series of landmark deals that will open up a range of no-nonsense Internet-based services to its global customers and will drive customer acquisition, usage and traffic on 3’s mobile networks."


http://www.e-consultancy.com/news-blog/361311/troubled-mobile-operator-3-loses-walled-garden.html

thats the real drivel, only 3 uk customers have had to put up with the wall, rest of 3's global market have had full access for a couple of years

[3GScottishUser]

Very fair point that could explain why the UK and Ireland have been the markets where 3 have struggled. One has to wonder how long it will be before Canning Fok decides to make some significant changes at the top to produce some new vision for 3.

[miffed]

Hmm , I though "we" (the customers) didn't wan't full access ?

Our screens are too small anyway ...



:p :p

[Ben]

Indeed, Margaret Thatcher woul d be having none of this if she were in charge! ;)

To quote Orange, "Life's better when it's open."

[3GScottishUser]

I suspect the vultures are now circling..... there have been just too many mistakes made or perhaps that's unfair, there are now too many other good options around.

Looking at www.todayon3g.co.uk I think the sentiment above was underlined with a comment headline that 3's new handsets are for 'Brand New Customers Only'. That'll pour salt into the wounds of some who might have been prepared to give them a 2nd chance. 3 really do need to look after what they have if, as has been reported, head office have limited the money available to recruit new customers.

Latest deal on satellite channel i-buy (Sky 631/632) is the LG U8330 on 3's VTT 1100 for £129 plus £79 delivery with a free 49cc Motor Scooter!!! For £100 more you get a 125cc model. All of a sudden it is becoming apprent that the mobile phone service is'nt the primary reason to buy - its the additional gift and the sales pitch seems to pay more attention to the 'extra gift' than the phone or the mobile service!!

Speaks volumes...... I wonder if the numpties that buy the deal will realise that paying £40 for 18 months = £732 + £129 + £79 = £940 which is about £350 more than a cheap Chineese Motor Scooter costs. The LG U8330 is available free for 12 months on a 12 month contract with cashback just about anywhere on the net!

I doubt if this type of marketing does 3 any favours whatsoever.

[hecatae]

you also have to take their 6280 exclusive into consideration, the 7600 was a dog on their network which could not do anything remotely useful to a walled garden service portal.

which bright spark took the nokia n70 off sale and put the nokia 6280 on, it really does not make any sense.

They launched the MOS-1, such a pitiful excuse for a phone you do wonder why they bothered.

[3GScottishUser]

And early 6280's were flawed on 3 with some major problems which is why some outlets on-line are now offering them on 3 contrcts with 12 months free on a 12 month contract - embarrasing.... :(

[Ben]

Those early 6280's were a disgrace, our own Bleubean had one and promptly returned it.

Three need to come out and declare the wall down. They can do what they want with content and partnerships, but they'll never cure the disappointment encountered when a new subscriber tries to use open data without changing their policy completely.

[Hands0n]

The walled garden has been a curse for 3 and a thorn in their side from day one in the UK. The disparity between the 3 UK proposition and that available in other international 3 locations is irritating in the extreme. Then to have words put into our (the Customer's) mouth to suggest that Internet access is not something that we want adds the final insult.

3 rightly deserve the cynicism vis a vis their freshly announced intentions with regard to their walled garden. They have some way to go to recover lost ground (read consumer trust) and even begin to catch up with their very adept competition.

3 had the world at their feet to start with - they threw that opportunity away and now have to scratch around in the dirt with the rest of the chickens.