Operators’ portals are failing to make the most of their dominance

Rating: the clock is ticking

By Annie Turner

US carriers are missing out on millions of dollars by making it difficult for users to discover and download mobile games, according to new figures from Strategy Analytics.

The market research firm found that while mobile gaming is expected to ring up USD 520m in sales this year, portals that are difficult to navigate will cost operators USD 110m in potential gaming revenues. The report is based on a study by the Strategy Analytics Wireless Media Lab that found Verizon Wireless provides a better game-buying experience than competitors Helio LLC, Sprint Nextel and AT&T Mobility.

Wake up and snort the coffee grounds. This year off-portal traffic has, for the first time ever, equalled on-portal traffic in the Japanese market, according to Pascal Lorne, CEO of miyowa (see blog above) and this trend will prevail in Europe and the US in 2009. If an operator’s content is hard to get at, users won’t even look, much less buy. The clock is ticking.

More importantly find out all you need to know on the hottest existing mobile portals in town with our analysis of Vodafone live! vs Orange World in the latest issue of The Mobile Search Analyst.

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