این متن را به انگلیسی ساده و روان خلاصه کن   FINAL THOUGHTS

The analysis of the broadband communications market thus far depicts the current competitive dynamics and points to the prevalence of certain strategies. Although the overall market is still emerging and remains rel- atively competitive, dominant industry leaders have emerged from each sector, namely, Comcast from cable and SBC from telephone market. Both firms have actively pursued M&A/alliance strategies and experi- mented with different broadband trials. Both firms have also acquired their leading status from a series of aggressive M&As, which enabled them to explore new broadband business opportunities with more re- sources. In fact, M&A and strategic network strategies that facilitate the sharing of risks as well as resources appeared to be central to the develop- ment of broadband services. Specifically, alliances seem essential in ac- quiring access to technology firms’ expertise, content firms’ attractive products, electronic retailers’ consumer contacts and knowledge, and Internet firms’ established brand images. One interesting recent phenom- enon is the partnership forged between cablecasters’ two prime competi- tors, DBS and the telcos. The strategic networks between these two parties allow both to remain truthful to their core competency while compensating for the telcos’ lack of video expertise and DBS’s inability to provide reliable broadband access. It might prove to be the best transi- tional strategy in competing with cable’s current bundling advantage.
 
It is important to note that many past ETV services have failed be- cause of the lack of interest from consumers. Thus, it is fruitful to also review the characteristics of today’s broadband subscribers in antici- pating the effectiveness of potential broadband deployment strategies. It is said that the current broadband subscribers tend to be well edu- cated, younger, and of higher socioeconomic status and choose broad- band subscription mainly due to impatience with the dial-up speed than dissatisfaction with service pricing. Broadband users are also big spend- ers online as they account for almost a third of online spending al- though representing only 19% of online adults in the United States (they spend about 50% more than narrowband users) (Kerner, 2004). In terms of content preferences, broadband users are very active information gatherers, multimedia users/downloaders, group/forum participants, and content creators/managers. Furthermore, broadband users engage in multiple online activities on a daily basis. They not only search more for information about products and services, but also generate content about their thoughts and share them in online forums (Horrigan & Rainie, 2003). Interestingly, most broadband users would be willing to download a branded interactive video channel to their computers and accept content from a trusted marketer on that channel (Newcomb, 2004). What are the strategic implications for these consumer traits? First, it is obvious that broadband holds tremendous marketing utilities. It offers an attractive target market and great opportunities for market- ing communications with the group (e.g., short-form video communi- cation delivered directly to the consumer). It also highlights the importance of information, communication, brand equity, and multiplatform marketing.
This chapter has not discussed extensively another nonvideo broad- band service, VoIP, which is becoming a more viable product option as broadband continues to expand. Although about 27% of Internet users in the United States have heard of the service, it still has a relatively low consumer adoption rate. While many have a favorable impression of VoIP, they are mostly early adopters and small in number (Horrigan, 2004b). Both telcos such as AT&T, SBC, and Verizon and cable compa- nies like Cablevision, Cox, Charter, Time Warner, and Comcast have en- tered the residential VoIP market with various trials. Note that whereas telcos are more experienced in providing such voice services, many cable companies, including the five largest MSOs, are certified local exchange carriers in more than 15 states across the country, serving approxi- mately 2.7 million residential subscribers of circuit-switched cable tele- phony across the country (National Cable & Telecommunications Association [NCTA], 2004). We believe that VoIP service, although it will not become the core application of broadband for cable firms, would add to the multiplicity, versatility, and thus value of cable-based broadband services. Especially, it might serve as an effective tool for reducing churn rates for cablecasters in a bundling marketing strategy. In fact, a tri- ple-play, multi-point competition of cable TV, broadband, and tele-
 
phone services is becoming a corporate strategy that drives many leading MSOs’ recent market activities. On the other hand, VoIP is the new force that continues to reshape the competitive landscape of the core business of the telcos. From RBOCs’ competition with long-distance companies like AT&T, MCI, and Sprint, to the rapid growth of cell phones, to the deployment of VoIP, the voice market is evolving to in- clude more crossover competition, different technologies, smaller ser- vice providers like Vonage, VoicePulse, and Pocket8 from the VoIP segment, and thus more complex business strategies, amid regulatory uncertainties toward VoIP provision. In light of the triple play strategy of the MSOs, VOIP is also becoming an important engagement point that the telcos cannot ignore.
In essence, considering the multitasking tendency of broadband us- ers and the multiplicity of broadband functions, the future of broad- band may not rest on what many considered to be the deployment of one or two killer broadband applications, but rather on the integration of various applications that offer the most efficient interactive broad- band access with the best user experience and content variety. In other words, the key to success for these broadband firms might be the im- plementation of strategies that develop a multiplicity of services, en- sure the smooth integration of these services, and focus on communicating the versatility and value of these services to the con- sumers. Currently, with its television expertise and the lead in broad- band service deployment, cable television seems to be better positioned in the broadband communications market. For telcos to remain com- petitive and even develop a strategic advantage, they have to not only offer comparable product bundles through alliances but also leapfrog cable by employing technologies that smoothly integrate a variety of services and provide the friendliest consumer interface compared to their cable counterparts.