From the Editor

Competition in mobile accelerates with new carriers planning launch dates

Oh, my, oh, my, what did we do before the advent of the mobile phone that now is considered a necessity by most people from their teen years up to, and including, the retired!

It’s a means of communicating with friends, an essential for almost everyone in business, an entertainment unit for teens, a promotional vehicle for advertisers, and an absolute necessity for anyone faced with a calamity, large or small.

How to choose the mobile phone that really offers you what you want and at a cost that you can afford is a subject of discussion in both homes and businesses.

This fall, the choices will be even wider when several new carriers are expected to launch their mobile offerings on the market. For this issue, we interviewed senior executives of Canada’s top three mobile carriers, as well as the management of three of the new mobile carriers coming on the market in future months. (In addition to these, we know that several others are readying to launch as well.)

Each of the new carriers hopes to win a share of the Canadian mobile market which, most people say, currently has only slightly above two-thirds cell phone penetration. And you can bet on the fact that ‘the new guys’ will also try to win customers from the big three who have invested heavily to offer the fastest, most up-to-date products and services.

Of course, the smart phone is more and more popular, now winning something over 25% of the mobile market. And what a choice there is now between the iPhone, the Blackberry, the Pre, and the Magic and Dream Androids!

(Proving the above, last minute news shows that 2009 first-quarter shipments of traditional mobile phones fell 37% this year, while smart phone shipments grew by 33%, according to IDC Canada Ltd.’s revised Canadian mobile phone forecast.)

I’d particularly like to thank the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association for helping us get a solid picture of what the mobile market now entails.

Also in this issue, the economy has prompted us to pay special attention to the small- and medium-sized businesses, and our contributors have some solid advice and neat tips for SMB managers, among other articles.

We’ll be back in November with an update and further look at other aspects of the mobile market, as well as articles on other topics of interest to Canadians.

Until then, good reading, and have a happy summer!

Gail Chiasson
Editor