For Consumer Product Strategy Professionals

US Internet Access Forecast, 2009 To 2014

Broadband Reaches Maturity, While Dial-Up Goes Gentle Into That Good Night

by Doug Williams, November 9, 2009

Nearly 16 million new US broadband subscribers will emerge over the next five years, but more than half of those will come in the next two years. Due to slowing organic growth, the Internet access market will be characterized by shifts across platforms. . . .

For Consumer Product Strategy Professionals

Consumer Age Guides Product Strategists

Insights From Forrester's Global CPS Research Panel

by Abe Garon, Doug Williams, October 13, 2009

Over the past 10 years, consumer product strategists have been hit by two massive and game-changing demographic shifts: Aging Boomers, now between the ages of 44 and 64, are just beginning to fade from the pinnacle of their earning and buying power; and . . .

For Consumer Product Strategy Professionals

Consumer Product Strategists Target Generations

Age Cohorts Play An Important Role In Consumer Product Strategies

by Abe Garon, Doug Williams, October 9, 2009

Consumer product strategists today often employ a generational lens when developing product strategies. Forrester's panel data reveals that consumer product strategy (CPS) professionals believe that generational targeting will only become more important . . .

For Consumer Product Strategy Professionals

WiMAX Services Are Both Complements To And Substitutes For Fixed Broadband

by Doug Williams, October 1, 2009

The wireless broadband technology known as WiMAX is slowly rolling out in markets around the US — and consumers have no idea what it is. But that's not a problem: Despite their lack of familiarity with the technology, consumers do understand the benefits . . .

For Consumer Product Strategy Professionals

The Who/What/Where Of WiMAX In The US

by Doug Williams, October 1, 2009

After years of anticipation and temptation, true WiMAX has officially arrived. After a slow initial rollout to four US markets in the past year, network expansion has accelerated, with as many as 22 new markets expected to come online in the last four . . .

For Consumer Product Strategy Professionals

Building The Perfect Bundle

Use Quantitative Methods To Pinpoint What Consumers Want And How Much They Will Pay

by Doug Williams, June 29, 2009

Bundles have emerged as a strong opportunity for service providers to drive acquisition and improve customer retention, but only 20% of US online consumers subscribe to voice, broadband, and pay-TV service from a single provider. Today's consumers have . . .

For Consumer Product Strategy Professionals

Enhance Your Product Strategy With Convenient Customer Service

by Doug Williams, June 22, 2009

Customer service has become an integral part of product strategy, and, as such, it should now be a primary concern of consumer product strategy professionals. Customer service has also grown more complex: Consumers used to simply bring the product back . . .

For Consumer Product Strategy Professionals

Verizon Becomes A Lean, Mean, FiOS Machine

by Doug Williams, May 15, 2009

From a consumer product strategy perspective, Verizon's decision to sell its remaining rural wireline properties to Frontier Communications will free the carrier to focus on its FiOS and wireless products in more strategic, densely populated areas. By . . .

For Consumer Product Strategy Professionals

Competing Against Fiber In The Most Competitive Markets

US Customer Satisfaction Data Reveals Cable's TV And Broadband Vulnerabilities

by Doug Williams, April 23, 2009

Cable operators are facing stiff competition from telcos that have upgraded their networks with fiber, enabling them to deliver pay TV and faster tiers of broadband service. Customer retention is now critical for cable operators, but where should consumer . . .

For Consumer Product Strategy Professionals

Delivering The Holy Grail Of Ubiquitous Broadband

Consumer Adoption Of Outside-The-Home Broadband Will Grow Rapidly Through 2013

by Doug Williams, April 8, 2009

Mobile operators' cellular data access plans are no longer reserved for road-warrior business travelers and super-connected individuals, as consumers are increasingly interested in obtaining broadband outside the home. But mobile operators be warned: . . .

For Consumer Product Strategy Professionals

Preventing DSL From Becoming The Next Dial-Up

by Doug Williams, February 26, 2009

Over the past two quarters, new US cable broadband subscribers outpaced new DSL subscribers by a margin of more than four to one. Although low cost, fast speed, and the convenience of a bundle are the top purchasing criteria for both DSL and cable broadband . . .

For Consumer Product Strategy Professionals

The Shift From Broadband To Wideband

If You Build It, They Will Come . . . Eventually

by Doug Williams, February 17, 2009

US broadband service providers' network upgrades are facilitating so-called "wideband" service offerings with download connection speeds reaching 50 Mbps. Some question remains as to whether consumers are ready, willing, and — given the economic downturn . . .

For Consumer Product Strategy Professionals

How US Consumer Broadband Will Weather The Economic Storm

by Doug Williams, February 5, 2009

A strong majority of US consumers expect their overall financial situation to remain the same or become worse over the coming 12 months, which means that they will reassess all their discretionary expenses. Fortunately for broadband service providers . . .

For Consumer Product Strategy Professionals

Digital TV Transition

Targeting Late-Adopting Pay TV Households

by Doug Williams, December 18, 2008

With the digital TV (DTV) transition looming on February 17, 2009, pay TV providers have a narrowing opportunity to capitalize on this event to migrate over-the-air (OTA) TV viewers to pay TV services.

For Consumer Product Strategy Professionals

Multi-play Services

Driving Subscriptions in a Maturing Market and Down Economy

by Doug Williams, December 10, 2008

The economic downturn and maturing broadband market will reduce organic subscriber growth for broadband service providers (BSPs). To increase bundle subscriptions, BSPs must steal customers from competitors and up-sell existing customers to relatively . . .

For Consumer Product Strategy Professionals

BSP Customers' Satisfaction

Targeting Areas for Improvement

by Doug Williams, October 29, 2008

As the broadband market matures, broadband service providers (BSPs) that fail to address customers' satisfaction issues will risk losing customers who have come to expect more from their broadband service than simply a faster-than-dial-up Internet connection.

For Consumer Product Strategy Professionals

Use-Based Broadband Access

Balancing Network Management with Consumers' Concerns

by Doug Williams, October 15, 2008

Consumers are unable to correlate Web-surfing activity with bandwidth consumption. Consumers must be aware of and have access to simple bandwidth measuring tools.

For Consumer Product Strategy Professionals

Embarq's eGo Offers Glanceable Content on the Home Phone

by Doug Williams, September 15, 2008

Embarq is an ILEC based in Overland Park, Kansas.

For Consumer Product Strategy Professionals

Voice Services

The Impact of Disruptive Services and Business Models on Fixed Voice

by Doug Williams, September 15, 2008

Fixed voice providers must combat wireless substitution and emerging voice business models to preserve the relevance of the fixed line.

For Consumer Product Strategy Professionals

AT&T Goes VoIP with U-verse Voice

by Doug Williams, September 15, 2008

AT&T is the incumbent telecommunications carrier in 22 states and operates a national wireless service.

For Consumer Product Strategy Professionals

Broadband Customer Retention

Combating Churn in a Competitive Market

by Doug Williams, August 29, 2008

Increased broadband competition and lower introductory prices are tempting consumers to switch broadband service providers (BSPs).

For Consumer Product Strategy Professionals

US Broadband Telephony Forecast, 2008 to 2013

by Doug Williams, July 1, 2008

Voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) service continues to generate buzz as new carriers such as AT&T and Skype enter the market.

For Consumer Product Strategy Professionals

US Broadband Forecast, 2008 to 2013

Driving Growth Through Multi-play Marketing

by Doug Williams, May 20, 2008

Aggressive multi-play marketing tactics by telcos and cable operators continue to drive consumer broadband adoption.

For Consumer Product Strategy Professionals

Single-Play Services

Determining Prospects in an Increasingly Bundled World

by Doug Williams, May 5, 2008

The proliferation of multi-play bundles in the market leaves few long-term opportunities for operators offering single-play services.

For Consumer Product Strategy Professionals

PC-Based Communications

Evaluating Opportunities for Voice and Video Services

by Doug Williams, March 24, 2008

Increased broadband adoption has given consumers improved access to free PC-based voice and video communications.