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Story: Mobile services find few fans

There seem to be several issues here:

1. Interoperability - maybe it's just my service provider but if someone from another network sends me a media message I receive an SMS bearing instructrions to visit a web site via a link even though my handset is fully capable of receiving and sending content. Seems to defeat the object to me and certainly doesn't encourage me to make use of the services. You pay to send me a message and then I have to pay to receive it? No thanks.

2. Portability vs. functionality. Maybe I'm getting old but a phone is primarily a phone. Sure - SMS is great and I admit to playing some of the increasingly sophisticated games I can download but watching movies/video clips/my mates on a 3cm x 4cm screen doesn't appeal. Get a handset with a bigger screen? No thanks - I have enough to carry already. This is technology I can happily live without.

3. Market expectations. I suspect I'm not alone here. Using my handset megapixel camera and downloading the images to my PC gives me the convergence I need and appreciate. If I want to watch movies I'll use my TV while I wait for IPTV to become more easily accessible (without me having to subscribe, install yet more software or accept inferior viewing quality).

4. Cost. As usual, cost factors are important. I already pay a TV licence fee, BT line subscription and fees to my broadband service provider. Paying even more fees to my mobile service provider for data transfer in excess of my plan allowance doesn't appeal and maybe I'm wrong but I don't see my service plan 'inclusive data allowance' lasting long if I start downloading movies - and does any adult really want to download nothing more than a 'clip'?

While I like the humour of the recent advertising campaigns I say sorry, I'm not sold...

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