UK Telco Stagnant in 2008

The perfect story for a damp gray December day.

UK regulator OFCOM has published their Communications Market Report 2009, putting everyone in a terribly bad mood by pointing out that, for the first time since they started collecting statistics in 1992, the industry experienced virtually zero annual growth.

This is, I guess, no great surprise to any of you. OSS projects have been limited to small scale efforts to reduce cost-of-ownership and a few already committed big ‘transformations’. BSS has had a little bit more focus, mainly in an effort to make some money out of the latest shiny objects like app stores.

In late 2009, things seem to be picking up a bit, but we could all do with a boost.

Of course, the biggest factor impacting our industry is the lack of a true successor to The Crazy Frog. I mean, come on, that was back in 2005. We need more artistic innovation like that to drive mobile downloads and save telco.

CrazyFrog

Surely there’s a gap in the market here? What with the trend to re-hash retro favourites on screen, stage and mobile-device, surely we could resurrect a popular British icon to front a few ring tones, novelty apps, and flash games? An icon of joy and light-entertainment to cheer us all up?

Noel Edmonds. How much for exclusive mobile rights to Mr Blobby?

More analysis on OFCOM’s report at the always excellent Telecom TV.

,