Mobile broadband is set to explode - so what happens to Content Creators (90 sec video)

Mobile broadband penetration is making vast strides, around the world. Smart phones and connected devices are getting cheaper by the minute. LTE (long-term-evolution, a next generation mobile telecomunication technology) will offer mobile data connectivity at vastly increased speeds, and at very competitive prices. Jointly with a company called O2B Networks, Google is launching 16 satellites to bring low-cost or free mobile broadband to Asia, Africa and the Middle East. 

So if and when we actually have 2 Billion+ people connected to mobile broadband, in 2012 (see the forecast in the video, below), what will happen to all the Content these users will consume or shall we say... share... remix...forward...adapt? How will content creators generate revenues from this enormous, interconnected and hungry, always-on audience?

In my view, the only plausible answer is to equate network access with content access, i.e. to bundle them together - once you connect, much of the content usage is included. Revenues are derived in many different ways, including next-generation (!) advertising, bundles, sponsored access, flat-rates, freemium etc.  This video briefly explains why this is needed.

If would like to know more, please check out these resources:

Broadband Culture and the Future of Broadcasting (video)

Future of Mobile Content (presentation)

Mobile Content Futures (narrated slideshow)

Compensation not Control (video of keynote speech at Midem 2009)

Why Spotify will fail without a public digital music license (blog post)

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Comments

[TIm Reha]

1.

Gerd,

Great post. I am friends with Glen Hiemstra over at Futurist.com and like you materials.

I like that you say "...share...remix...forward...adapt". Content producers will be fighting for the attention of their users who are moving into a mode of simply building their own content, rather than being bombarded by outside content.

Thus, there are new ways to think about content. Such as creating content units that are designed to remixed by the audience, rather then being consumed end-to-end. Like you say attention, trust and then social syndication is the key. Finding a revenue model is going to be a the billion dollar idea challenge. Likely in the form of micro transactions, memberships, etc.

I guarantee that in future when we live in a WIFI broadband cloud and have laser projectors in our mobile devices with haptic touch screen controllers that one of the most widely distributed forms of content i.e. "social media", will be media that is a mix of music and visuals - remixed on the mobile device, tied to unique interfaces such as motion sensing embeded in clothing.

These media units will be remixed on the fly and distributed across social networks for all types of reasons from simple greeting to happy birthday wishes.

The new micro laser projectors enable a whole new realm of content and interaction models. My hunch is that the current content model thinking is still not dynamic or "real time". The thought is that content is produced and wow, now you can add some comments, at the bottom of the content page.

At a recent outdoor music event, the electronic musicians were not spinning records for the most part. They were remixing their own tracks using Ableton Live. I was remixing videos remotely (to the music) using my iPhone and Touch OSC http://www.hexler.net controlling a laptop connected to a video projector 20 feet away.

Anyways, nice post. Very interesting to read about the "Google Cloud" that is coming. Best, Tim