subject: Will Cox Succeed Entering The Wireless Industry? [print this page] . The cable television company has been working on this over the last several years. Will they be successful? The industry has changed during the last few years making it more complex for the company. In addition there are several key areas they need to get right. If they do, then they have a chance.
When they started planning for this move the wireless industry was a different place. Smart phones only made up 15% of the marketplace. Things were pretty predictable.
Then the Apple iPhone appeared a few years ago and the industry hasn't been the same. Suddenly smart phones are rapidly growing and have around 50% market share. To make matters more interesting they are expected to reach around 80% in the next few years.
This means the marketplace will completely transform itself since Cox decided to go wireless.
Larger cable television companies like Comcast and Time Warner have failed in their wireless phone efforts of the last several years. Why did they fail and what will Cox do to improve their chances of success?
Cox has been a good company and has happy and satisfied customers. They are one of the companies who care about their customers and investors. They face relatively few complaints compared to other larger cable television companies. However that is no guarantee of success.
The industry has changed and the stakes have risen during the last few years so they have to do everything right. There is so much to consider. Is Cox prepared?
The marketplace is changing. The Apple iPhone, the Google Android and many other new smart phone handsets are growing rapidly. Where will Cox fit in? Will they capture media attention or will they be a quiet competitor? Unfortunately quiet often means invisible. Look at Palm in comparison to iPhone and Android. That is one key question.
Another is marketing and advertising. That was one key problem with Comcast and Time Warner. They offered their phones as an add-on for cable television customers. However wireless customers like to be marketed to directly. Even phone company Qwest has trouble selling wireless service as an add-on to their regular phone service.
Compare that to AT&T and Verizon who offer wireless as a stand-alone device and service. They market and advertise it separately from wire line services. So how will Cox market and advertise and position this new offering? That is another key question.
Their success or failure depends how well they get the word out. How they market and advertise. Companies have to present their services the way customers want to buy it otherwise the product will whither and die on the vine. It has already happened many times, in the wireless space.
Today's wireless marketplace is even sharper than it was just a few short years ago. The focus today is in on different things smart phones do and how they compete.
To capture the imagination you have to capture the headlines. This is a very loud business. The challenge is tougher than ever to be heard.
Suddenly we are seeing non-wireless companies like Apple and Google get more headlines than traditional players.
So where will Cox fit in? How will they market ad advertise? How much media attention will they generate? Will they offer a primary wireless device in the customer mind or will it be an add-on to a cable television bill? These are all very important questions that will make the difference between success and failure.
Cox has always been an impressive company. They care about their customers and provide good quality at competitive rates. Is that enough?
However wireless as an industry is changing. What will it look like in another five years? Will Cox be able to compete in that marketplace? We have watched many succeed and many more fail over the years. It will be interesting to watch this next chapter in the changing wireless industry unfold.
