Abstract
Features:
- Market Drivers
- D2C Service Concepts
- The Pain Point
- Operator Perspective
- Market Developments
- Solutions
Incredibly, the cost of downloading a full-length digital song from an
off-portal mobile site can cost users anything from practically nothing to
$15.00 in data charges, depending on their operator and mobile data plan.
But if the user chooses to buy the song from their operator' s mobile portal
instead, then the data charges are usually waived.
With the cards stacked so heavily against them, most brands that want to sell
music downloads directly to mobile users are unable to do so, at least not if
they want to make money. Accordingly, this report is focussed on identifying
solutions to this problem.
The report begins by reviewing the four market forces that are driving brands
towards the delivery of rich media content using a D2C strategy. We explain
what' s in it for brands and their customers.
Next, the report explains the three categories of D2C mobile music service and
provides a detailed description of an example service within each one. Current
market rates for mobile data in Germany, the UK and the U.S. are used to
illustrate the adverse impact that mobile data charges would have on these
services.
The report then analyses the relative merits of the two potential solutions to
this problem by looking at the pros and cons from the perspective of mobile
operators, service providers, third parties and users. A recent implementation
of an off-portal mobile music download service is outlined that is based on
wholesale data and is currently in a trial phase.
As the axis of the D2C market, the mobile operator' s position is studied by
reviewing the changing business strategies of mobile operators generally,
together with several recent market trends which extend well outside the music
area.
The report concludes by describing a future D2C mobile content environment
where the cards cards will be stacked very differently to how they are today.
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