Telcos Need More Than TV And Broadband For ROI -- According to Forrester Research, Telcos, faced with a growing list of competitors and rising capital expenses, are looking to TV services to offset shrinking core revenues. But even coupled with voice and broadband Internet services, TV revenues will not recoup the costs of a multi-billion dollar broadband upgrade. Telcos will need to add a myriad of other services like home security, network-based storage, and video surveillance services to make a profit. Telcos core voice and data businesses have taken a beating. The mean monthly spend on local services has stagnated at $29.17 down from $31.70 in 2003. Monthly long distance spending has fallen from $18.33 to $12.75 during the same time. It will get worse, because VoIP promises to drive prices closer to $30 for unlimited local and nationwide long distance.
Try to imagine this scenario, that General Motors and Ford were given exclusive franchises to build America's interstate highway system, and also all the highways that connect local communities. Now imagine that, based upon a financial crisis, these troubled companies decided to convert all "their" local arteries into toll-roads -- they then use incremental toll fees to severely limit all travel to and from small businesses. Why? This handicapping process reduced the need to invest in building better new roads, or repairing the dilapidated ones. But, wouldn't that short-sighted decision have a detrimental impact on the overall national economy? It's a moot point -- pure fantasy -- you say. The U.S. political leadership would never knowingly risk the nation's social and economic future on the financial viability of a restrictive duopoly. Or, would they? The 21st century Global Networked Economy travels across essential broadband infrastructure. The forced intro...