MobHappy: BT Launches a Whole Range of Terribly Boring LBS Services- Mobile Marketing & SPAM

Friday, October 14, 2005

MobHappy: BT Launches a Whole Range of Terribly Boring LBS Services

Russel writes about BT and their new LBS services... but not very positively.

He's right - much of the stuff is only barely "yawn worthy" - when I can think of one thing that would make LBS sense immediately - and it doesn't even require detailed positioning information.

When I'm in Spokane, WA (that's in the US, you know) I don't need to know that the Piccadilly line is having minor delays - especially when that comes at 3AM as a TEXT message sent to my phone.

Can't we use LBS for something sensible?

Of course - the answer is - Not really... These LBS services will cost probably cost a lot... and who knows how easy it will be to integrate them with existing applications.

Paying for accuracy

About 18 months ago I was having a meeting with T-Mobile and we were talking about their LBS offering. What I found most interesting was that their engineers had developed at "inaccurracy" solution.

With T-Mobile you paid a different amount for a different level of accuracy in determining location. As it turns out the accuracy was much more dependent upon the type of LBS that was deployed than on what the person paid for. As a result it is possible that you could have 2 meter accuracy but have only paid for 1 Km accuracy.

So what did T-Mobile do? - They introduced error into the result. If you got a result that was accurate to 2 meters then they would randomly add noise to that result to where it was never more than the accuracy you paid for.

This drives engineers crazy. The engineers have spent years perfecting a solution only to have someone on the commercial side tell them it's "too good" and that they'll need to make it worse to make it commercially viable.

On the one hand I hope we see a lot more LBS - on the other I don't think we will because the costs and technology and interfaces still have another 24-36 months before they become common enough for applicatoin providers to use.

(And if you're an accountant - and you think about the fact that 5 years is about the time that it would take to depreciate the LBS equipment that operators were required to install to support E911/999/111 services - you'll see why I think there is another 24-36 months of high prices and no adoption.)

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A few words about why we're here

Since consumers first started to use SMS marketers have had the idea of text message marekting or marketing sms - also known as mobile marketing. And since that time marketing sms messages have grown and changed and new technology like bluetooth marketing, marketing bluetooth style to phones in close proximity to an advertisers.

And since the e-mail spam scourge took over the media, people have worried that there will be mobile phone spam. Spam is just another way of saying that advertisers send unsolicited text message marketing, marketing sms, bluetooth marketing or any other form of mobile marketing - it's mobile phone spam. There are even guides on how to spam phone s.

Consumer Preference is about permission based marketing, permission marketing solution. If, as an advertiser you can execute permission based marketing campaigns then you can certainly find ways to benefit from mobile marketing. And permission starts with understanding the consumer marketing preference. If you can understand consumer marketing preference, then you can execute permission based marketing. And permission marketing is not mobile phone spam.

There are many mobile marketing company listings that can be found on the Internet - and most mobile marketing company websites will tell you how they focus on permission marketing. Make sure that the one you partner with does more than tell you about it on the website. Opt-in marketing starts with your traditional marketing soliciting for permission.

Yes - Mobile marketing starts with traditional marketing - print, web, radio, television - all of the old standards. Because before you can send the first message to a consumer, you must obtain their permission... and that means that you understand consumer marketing prefernce.

Please enjoy reading consumer-preference.com - and if you feel that there is a point I'm making you'd like to share - then put a link to it from your own site. And always feel free to leave comments!

Troy Norcross

About Me

Name: Troy Norcross

Location: London, United Kingdom

I believe very strongly that consumers have a right to privacy. Just because it is getting harder to reach consumers doesn't mean that marketers should be (or need be) more devious or more forceful in their attempts to reach us. In fact, quite the opposite. Many of us are happy to be contacted with relevant, timely, meaningful offers. But it's going to be on our terms. No longer victims of aggressive marketing, we want to participate in the process with trusted brands and partners. Come and hang out with me here on Consumer Preference and learn how as a consumer you can have more control than you thought - and, if you're a marketer, how you can reach people in an effective and respectful way. You can reach me at the email link below.

Mobile Marketing & SPAM

Friday, October 14, 2005