Press Releases

The following are recent press releases from Pyramid Research. If you are a journalist interested in receiving up-to-date news and analysis on the communications, media and/or technology industries, we invite you to join our press list.

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Archived Press Releases

5/5/2008
The US will be the Fastest Growing Developed Nation in Terms of Mobile Data Revenue
Cambridge, MA, March 26th, 2008 –The US will be the fastest growing developed nation in terms of mobile data revenue according to Pyramid Research’s latest report, Mobile Data Best Practices: Positioning and Revenue Analysis in Emerging and Developed Markets published today.

11/13/2007
Cambridge, MA, November 13, 2007
The GSM Association (GSMA) and Microsoft Corporation (Microsoft) commissioned Pyramid Research to conduct an independent analysis of mass market notebook PC buyer demand for mobile broadband.

10/30/2007
Over One Billion New Mobile Customers to Be Added Worldwide in the Next Three Years
Cambridge, MA, October 30, 2007 – The global mobile market will go through unprecedented changes over the next few years, adding one billion new subscribers to the current 2.8 billion base over the next three years.

8/10/2007
MVNO Model Can Be Made to Work, According to Pyramid Research
CAMBRIDGE, MA, August 9, 2007 – MVNO models can be made to work, and there are MVNOs with proven track records of success, according to a newly released study by Pyramid Research.

7/23/2007
Pyramid Research Predicts 10 Telecom Trends in the Asia-Pacific Region
CAMBRIDGE, MA, July 23, 2007 – Leading global telecommunications intelligence firm Pyramid Research, at its second annual Asia-Pacific Telecom Summit, presented 10 key trends that will take place in the Asia-Pacific telecom sector in 2008.

6/27/2007
IPTV to Drive VoD Business Models, According to Pyramid Research
Cambridge, Massachusetts, June 27, 2007 – IPTV operators are in a strong position to drive the evolution of VoD business models, according to a newly released study by Pyramid Research. As the latest entrants to the pay-TV market, IPTV operators are pursuing the VoD opportunity aggressively and are increasingly banking on VoD to enhance the TV experience.

6/13/2007
Pyramid Research predicts a downward trend in capital expenditures of mobile network operators in 2007
Cambridge, Massachusetts, June 13, 2007— Pyramid Research expects a slowdown in capital expenditures (Capex) by mobile network operators (MNOs) in 2007. Even though MNO Capex volume increased at double-digit rates in 2005 and 2006, new technologies and changing business models are affecting the Capex landscape and consequently the fortunes of equipment vendors.

4/11/2007
FMC Subscribers to Reach 18m in 2011, says Pyramid Research
Cambridge, Massachusetts, April 10, 2007— UMA and dual-mode subscribers will quadruple in number in 2007, from fewer than 400,000 in 2006, and reach 18m in 2011, forecasts Pyramid Research in its latest report: Fixed-Mobile Convergence: What Works, What Doesn’t and the MNO’s Path to Substitution.

3/26/2007
Bundling Music—The Future of the Mobile Music Industry According to Pyramid Research
Cambridge, Massachusetts, March 26, 2007—The most significant shift in the mobile music market will come in the form of bundled music, or as it is more commonly known, subscriptions, says Pyramid Research in its latest report, From Apple to Orange: How MNOs Can Make Mobile Music Profitable in an iTunes World.

2/27/2007
WiMAX Spectrum More Expensive in Developing Markets
Cambridge, MA, February 13, 2007—WiMAX Spectrum costs are higher in developing markets says Pyramid Research in its latest report: “Deciphering the Cost of WiMAX Licenses.” In order to achieve accurate and balanced comparisons between countries, the report calculates price per MHz per population which equals the price paid for the license divided by the amount of spectrum in MHz in a given frequency band divided by the population covered by the license.

2/20/2007
Hosted Solutions to Reduce Mobile Capex by 13% in Latin America
Cambridge, MA, February 20, 2007—Latin American mobile operators are expected to spend a total of US$93m on hosted services in 2007, according to Pyramid Research’s new report, Managed Services in Latin America: What It Will Take for MNOs to Make The Jump. Hosted services are expected to represent only 9% of the region’s investments in end-user services, service delivery solutions, and charging and payment solutions, but they will deliver savings of 13% in overall Capex.

2/12/2007
WiMAX Spectrum More Expensive in Developing Markets
Cambridge, MA, February 13, 2007—WiMAX Spectrum costs are higher in developing markets says Pyramid Research in a new report: “Deciphering the Cost of WiMAX Licenses.” In order to achieve accurate and balanced comparisons between countries, the report calculates price per MHz per person.

10/27/2006
Telecom Italia’s restructuring: Future Success or Big Mistake asks Pyramid Research
Cambridge, Massachusetts October 27, 2006—Telecom Italia’s separation of the wholesale fixed-line network from its retail operations will boost competition, according to Pyramid Research’s latest Analyst Insight.

10/16/2006
Brazil’s Crown Jewel for Consolidation is Gone, says Pyramid Research
Cambridge, MA, October 16, 2006—The Brazilian cable sector is ripe for consolidation, but Vivax, the segment’s crown jewel is now gone says Pyramid Research’s latest Analyst Insight.

10/12/2006
Google’s You Tube Purchase: Sound Investment or Impulse Buy asks Pyramid Research
Cambridge, MA, October 12, 2006—The acquisition of YouTube telegraphs a new strategic direction for Google—becoming THE provider of web based video services, says Pyramid Research’s latest Analyst Insight.

10/11/2006
China IPTV Subscribers to Surpass 10m by 2011 says Pyramid Research
Cambridge, MA, October 11, 2006—The number of China IPTV subscribers is expected to surpass ten million by 2011, says Pyramid Research’s latest Analyst Insight.

10/4/2006
Mobile ESPN Goes Under—What Does this Imply for Other MVNOs?
Cambridge, MA, October 3, 2006—The MVNO model is not attractive—especially in the US market—and content as a cost-lever is not enough to sustain a business model says Pyramid Research’s latest Analyst Insight, in light of last week’s announcement that Disney is pulling the plug on Mobile ESPN.

9/28/2006
Subscriber Acquisition Costs are Ten to Twenty Times Lower in Developed Markets, says Pyramid Research
Cambridge, MA, September 28, 2006—Subscriber acquisition costs are ten to twenty times lower than they would be for a carrier in developed markets, and a hundred times lower in more extreme cases according to Pyramid Research’s latest Analyst Insight.

9/26/2006
iN2015 Project will make Broadband Subscriptions Boom in Singapore, says Pyramid Research
Cambridge, MA, September 26, 2006—Pyramid Research believes that the main effect of the iN2015 project in Singapore will be a considerable increase of broadband subscriptions in the city-state, compounded by a shift in the access technologies deployed, according to its latest Analyst Insight.

9/21/2006
Global Mobile Revenues Exceed US$667bn says Pyramid Research
Cambridge, MA, September 21, 2006—Mobile global subscribers have grown at a 15% CAGR clip and global mobile revenues have seen a similar 18% CAGR, exceeding US$667bn says Pyramid Research in its latest Analyst Insight.

9/20/2006
Low-Denomination Prepaid Vouchers: Critical to Emerging Market Growth, But Hardly a No-Brainer says Pyramid Research
Cambridge, MA, September 20, 2006—Low denomination vouchers have an initially positive effect on revenue, but growth slows as the competition catches up, with a risk of stagnation and even decline if not carefully managed, says Pyramid Research’s latest Analyst Insight.

9/20/2006
The Reality of UMA
Cambridge, MA, September 15, 2006—The UMA advantage lies in the fact that subscribers are provided with a single device with all the advantages of a fixed and a mobile phone says Pyramid Research in it’s newest Analyst Insight written by Senior Analyst, Nick Holland.

9/12/2006
For Telecom Italia—Divergence is the New Convergence, says Pyramid Research
Cambridge, MA, September 12, 2006—The primary reason for Telecom Italia’s decision to drop its convergence strategy is financial, according to Senior Analyst Nick Holland of Pyramid Research in Pyramid’s latest Analyst Insight.

8/22/2006
Nokia’s Bite of the Apple is the Right Move Says Pyramid Research
Cambridge, MA, August 21, 2006—Nokia’s acquisition of Loudeye put it squarely at odds with its largest customers, but it is still the right move. Writing in Pyramid’s latest Next Generation Trend Letter, analyst Guy Zibi argues that Nokia can’t grow if its model is inherently tied to carrier subsidies. The move also puts Nokia in a position to launch a cell/phone music player before Apple does.

8/17/2006
58 Million Households will be Served by IMS Platforms by 2010 says Pyramid Research
Cambridge, MA, August 17, 2006—Two thirds of the world’s total VoIP households or 58 million in total, will be served by IMS platforms by 2010 states Pyramid Research’s latest report, Transforming Telcos with IMS: The Telco Silver Bullet for an Applications-Centric World.

8/10/2006
IMS Walled Garden Business Model has Shortcomings says Pyramid’s Latest Report
Cambridge, MA, August 9, 2006—The walled garden approach, adopted by most wireline and mobile telecom providers, has a number of key shortcomings says Pyramid Research’s newest report Transforming Telcos With IMS: The Telco Silver Bullet for an Applications-Centric World.

7/28/2006
Pyramid Research to Host VoIPocalypse Now: The Impact of Skype, Google, Yahoo! on Telcos Business Models Webinar on August 29th
Pyramid Research will be hosting a Webinar titled, VoIPocalypse Now: The Impact of Skype, Google, Yahoo! on Telcos Business Models, on August 29th at 11 a.m. EST. Pyramid Research’s Senior Analyst Nick Holland will moderate the event, which will examine the evolution of Portal VoIP and its effect on fixed and mobile operator revenues.

7/27/2006
Operator Network Maintenance Outsourcing to Equal $19.1bn by 2010 says Pyramid Research
Mobile operator spending on network maintenance is set to increase 23% by 2010 as mobile networks expand their coverage. In 2005, Pyramid Research estimates that wireless operators worldwide spent $US19.5bn on maintenance services and by 2010, that figure is estimated to rise to US$24bn. The results come from Pyramid Research’s report New Frontier for Vendors: An Analysis of Network Services and Outsourcing, which compiles and analyzes numerous in-depth interviews with mobile operator executives worldwide.

7/11/2006
Redback Networks to Sponsor Pyramid Research’s IMS, FMC and IPTV Next Generation Broadband Services Webinar
Pyramid Research announces Redback Networks as its platinum sponsor for their upcoming webinar, “Transforming Fixed Business Models with IMS, FMC and IPTV: Leveraging Technologies to Create Successful Business Models” that will be held on July 19th at 11am EST.

7/6/2006
Mobile Operator Network Outsourcing Leads to 20–25% Reduction in Cash Costs Says Pyramid Research
As mobile operators watch their bottom line, outsourcing has become a more acceptable approach to increasing profitability, as it offloads the cost burden to the partner firm. Operator savings vary, depending on the scope of the outsourcing relationship, but Pyramid Research estimates that outsourcing can reduce the cash costs of a typical mobile operator by 20–25 percent.

6/29/2006
Pyramid Research Welcomes Dan Schimmel as CEO
Pyramid Research welcomes Dan Schimmel as their new CEO effective July 1st. Dan will follow Catherine Forster Connolly who steps down from day-to-day responsibilities as CEO after 11 years with Pyramid Research and joins the board of directors as Vice Chairman.

6/28/2006
Pyramid Research and ITI Research Form Strategic Partnership
Pyramid Research is pleased to announce a strategic partnership with ITI Research to provide high-quality company profiles of industry players worldwide.

6/26/2006
Pyramid Research Expects Nokia Siemens Networks to Make an Impact as the 3rd Largest Carrier Network Infrastructure Vendor
The recently announced Nokia and Siemens merger would make Nokia Siemens Networks the 3rd largest carrier network infrastructure vendor after Ericsson-Marconi and Alcatel/Lucent with combined sales of $15.8bn euros (US$19.75bn) and a headcount of about 60,000.

6/15/2006
Pyramid Research to Host an IMS, FMC and IPTV Next Generation Broadband Services Webinar on July 19th
Pyramid Research is proud to announce their Webinar “Transforming Fixed Markets with IMS, IPTV and FMC: Leveraging Technologies to Create Successful Business Models” that will be held on July 19th at 11am EST. Guy Zibi, Pyramid’s Director of the CMT Research Group, will host the event, which will bring industry professionals together to discuss fixed communications business models and the trend towards an application-centric world.

6/13/2006
Quadruple Play is a Fallacy says Pyramid Research
Quadruple play assumes that a subscriber would want fixed and mobile voice with broadband internet and Pay TV through a single, bundled subscription. This idea is unlikely to gain traction over the medium term according to Pyramid Research’s “Transforming Triple Play: Key Lessons and Best Practices for Winning RGU Strategies.”

5/31/2006
Telco Triple Play is Stalled by Destructive Obsession with Voice Says New Pyramid Research Report
For most telcos, traditional voice is a key obstacle facing triple play uptake and subscriber RGUs (Revenue Generation Units) states Pyramid Research’s new report “Transforming Triple Play: Key Lessons and Best Practices for Winning RGU Strategies.” Many incumbent telco triple-play bundles are built to prop up voice revenues, rather than build adoption of other applications and customers are not biting.

5/18/2006
Global Mobile Subscriptions to Exceed 2.6bn by Year End 2006 Says Pyramid Research
Pyramid Research estimates there will be 2.6bn mobile subscribers worldwide by year-end 2006, up from 2.3bn in 2005. Between 2006 and 2010, it expects total mobile subscribers to increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.7%, topping 3.5bn by year-end 2010. The number of mobile subscribers will top the 3bn mark during late 2007/ early 2008.

5/16/2006
Pyramid Research Announces New Newsletter Covering Global Convergence Topics
Pyramid Research announces the launch of “Pyramid Convergence Wire,” a free industry newsletter providing analysis of the drivers and barriers to the success of new business models and technologies in the converging communications, media and technology industries.

4/3/2006
Mobile Operators Seek to Move up the Mobile TV Value Chain
With Mobile TV touted as this year’s 3G Holy Grail, operators are carefully evaluating their role in the nascent business models that are forming. Mobile TV will in most cases involve a broadcaster as an additional entity between MNOs and Mobile TV programming, meaning additional mark-ups before content reaches the operator.

3/23/2006
Pyramid Research Identifies a Case for Mobile TV without the Mobile Operator
If last month’s Virgin-BT Movio deal is executed as planned, Virgin would become one of the first mobile TV service providers in Europe. This highlights one of the key risks mobile network operators (MNOs) face with Mobile TV – becoming casualties of a dis-intermediation process that would minimize their role in the Mobile TV value chain or remove them altogether. MNOs missed the mobile music boat; clumsiness towards Mobile TV could have a more negative impact.

3/7/2006
MVNE Recurring Revenue Opportunity could exceed $850m by 2010
The widespread interest in the mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) business has translated to more than $400m in recurring revenues for mobile virtual network enablers (MVNEs) in Western Europe and the US, according to the new Pyramid Research report “MVNOs and MVNEs: Analyzing the Viability of Virtual Mobile Players.” Pyramid expects MVNE recurring revenues to exceed $850m by 2010 in these markets and pre-launch investments will contribute a 20-30% upside to this total.

3/2/2006
MVNO Financials Less Attractive than the Hype Suggests
The global MVNO subscriber base surpassed 63m subscribers at YE2005, up 25 percent from the previous year, according to Pyramid Research’s report “MVNOs and MVNEs: Analyzing the Viability of Virtual Mobile Players.” MVNOs account for 2.75 percent of the world’s mobile users and is projected to rise to 3.3 percent by 2010, reaching more than 100 million subscribers. Still, Pyramid Research contends that the MVNO business faces many challenges and its financials are not as attractive as the hype would suggest.

1/19/2006
VoWLAN is Inevitable and Available in 2006 Says Pyramid Research
Over the last two years, WLAN has transformed from a network of stand-alone hotspots into a supporting technology for delivering convergent solutions, clearing the way for VoWLAN. According to Pyramid Research’s report “WLAN-Cellular Convergence: The Carrier Business Case for WLAN, UMA and VoWLAN,” VoWLAN mid-tier handsets will come to market this year, placing MVNOs, fixed and cable providers in a position to make a strong play for mobile voice revenues.

1/17/2006
2006 Telecom Predictions From Pyramid Research
Pyramid Research has announced their 2006 telecom predictions.

12/6/2005
Ericsson and 3’s Deal Only a Precursor says Pyramid Research
Today, Ericsson and 3 UK announced a seven-year managed services deal through which Ericsson will manage 3’s 3G mobile network and IT infrastructure. This deal is the largest in Ericsson’s history and includes the transfer of 1,000 employees from 3 to Ericsson UK. Specifics as to the exact dollar value of the deal were not provided by the companies involved, though Pyramid Research estimates that the contract value is in excess of $2.5bn.