Mobile Marketing Innovations Will Drive Etisalat Nigeria

Farmed out License Holder, Etisalat Nigeria sure understand how to engage the subscribers in the 3G Era. During the launch of the Network last week in Lagos, the company spokesperson mentioned something significant. He  Etisalat will deploy innovative Mobile  Services like the mobile cam.Mobile cam allows 3G subscribers to dial into a gadget at home or office and be able to take a quick look around the location and even record voices.

The significance of this is that while other operators in Nigeria are trying to sell 3G Services based  on  Television services, the late entrant is looking at it from a strong compelling side, security. I am quite disappointed that the operators do not clearly understand what the technology can do. They keep stressing on TV while not offering a strong reason why subscribers will want to switch from their  non paying terrestrial tv or satellite pay Tv to yet another Mobile pay Tv. Mobile operators are not even making a pretence about building contents around the ever popular and money spinning Nollywood. Two to five  minutes  mobisodes of Nigeria Drama, musicals and comedy will be a huge hit in the 140 million fun loving Nigerian market but the operators are rather focused on full length sports and news channles.This does not come cheap for an average Nigeria whose ARPU is hovering around 10 dollars.

Without a perfect understanding of the 3G Marketing, the Nigerian 3G Project might be heading for doom.

The advantages of 3G is that it has a higher bit rate and operators can therefore deploy more data intensive applications. It allows for increased call volumes and support multimedia data applications, such as video and photography.

The operators need to start thinking along the three spheres of 3G applications.
First is the Business Sphere which allows for Mobile videophone, video conferencing, database management and informational services.

Second area is the private sphere which allows karaoke on demand, music on demand, portable Television, interactive games and video on demand while third area is Business sphere. This allows traffic informational service, personal security, remote monitoring systems, Electronic newspapers, Home schooling systems and remote monitoring systems.

 
Etisalat’s understanding of 3G marketing gives some hope and something to look forward to. At least in the Nigerian telecommunications market, there is clear differentiator. All the operators need to do is to see an operator launch a service and all others will follow suit.

Emmanuel Okoegwale
emmanuel@gomobileng.com

Its not just their lack of understanding of the 3G technology but their inabilty to appreciate Nigerians appeal for the many variants in services that 3G can offer. Operators need to adequately produce consumercentric 3G products aimed at not just catching our pockets but also satisfiying needs and servcies.