Mobile Telephony: New Marketing Object in a Globalized Economy

Bruno Salgues

 

Equipe CRITIC Institut Telecom 9 rue Charles Fourier 91000 EVRY France

Abstract

Traditional models of adoption of technologies do not work well for the ICTs (Information and Communication Technologies). Applying these models in the real world, have proven to be quite a burden for specialists in marketing. The cultural argument is also found out not to be determining in success. The paper presents some limits of the analysis of technology adoption.  Traditional models of adoption of technologies do not work well for the ICTs (Information and Communication Technologies). Applying these models in the real world, have proven to be quite a burden for specialists in marketing. The cultural argument is also found out not to be determining in success.  More than 2 human beings out of 3 on the planet (we are almost 4 billion individuals) use at least a portable cell phone with GSM standard, and 3 billion of us have at all moment one cell phone in our pocket. They call it cellular, mobile phone, telephonino or “portable” according to one’s language’s way and culture. In some cases, one may even think that cell phone usage is even a form of culture in itself.  By comparison, there are hardly more than one billion Internet addresses active in the world, which shows us how far telephony is rooted in our culture. Cell phone manufacturers sold 4.3 billion SIM cards (these are the famous SIM cards which make it possible for cell phones to function) in 2007, representing more than 4.5 billion cell phones in the world .  For a long time, the mobile telephone was analyzed in anthropological term like prosthesis. It was even believed so by the manufacturers and the operators.  This paper will seek to analyse the weaknesses of the marketing models used and the strategies implemented and decipher the new concepts which have become more determining. New ways to approach the development of the market and the evolution of the product will be proposed.

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