Convergence: Bundling Fixed Line and Mobile Services

Resumen

Integrated (fixed and mobile) operators offer to customers bundles with fixed and mobile services: fixed voice, fixed broadband, and mobile services (that include voice and broadband). In recent years, operators have started to offer discounts for these bundles. This has triggered a change in the competitive landscape, with industry transitioning to convergent operators, enabled by in‐country consolidation of formerly fixed line‐only (e.g., cable operators) and mobile service‐only operators, as well as mergers of formerly fixed line and mobile service divisions of the same operator (e.g., Verizon in the United States). This trend has only started, and there are still many mobile service‐only players that are rethinking their strategy. Fixed line‐only ones are fewer, and can complement their fixed line assets by setting up Mobile Virtual Network Operators (see Chapter 10).