'APT Strategies presents Five Insights and Recommendations into Profitable Wireless Strategies'
(8th December, 2000)

Sydney: APT Strategies, a leading Sydney based online intelligence company, was invited last month to present at the 3G Wireless Conference at the Ritz Carlton hotel in Hong Kong. APT Strategies warned that Australia is slipping behind Asia in its adoption of the wireless opportunity, outlining the following projections and cautions:

1. Business to Wireless (B2W) is a profitable business model
APT Strategies found that 60 per cent of telecommunication carriers in Australia lack the expertise to grasp the Business to Wireless (B2W) opportunity and need to accelerate their partnership programs, focusing on application developers with professional service teams. The B2W sector is the most profitable wireless sector in Australia with companies demonstrating real productivity increases and cost savings on out of office sales and customer service staff.

2. Wireless Handsets to change every 6 months by 2002
Telecommunication carriers and operators should plan for wireless Internet subscribers changing their handsets on average every 6 months by 2002. APT Strategies recommend that handset manufacturers dedicate sufficient resources to meet the demands of the rapid product lifecycle. In the 3G world, WAP handsets will turnover faster as service and functionality requirements increase.

3. Target the Teens with Entertainment applications
With the asset poor, time rich teen market having higher penetration rates of wireless Internet access compared with other target markets, software application and content providers need to focus on 'games' and 'entertainment'. Entertainment is the largest revenue generator for Japan's DoCoMo iMode service and forecasted to be the leading application for wireless Internet users in Europe by 2003.

4. Pre-paid wireless Internet to rise to A$50 per month by 2003
APT Strategies forecast the Australian marketplace will support a pre-paid wireless Internet access upper pricing range of A$50 per month by 2003. With the cost of mobile wireless Internet access trending downwards and usage times increasing, APT Strategies recommends that wireless service providers target the communications, community and entertainment aspects of wireless applications.

5. Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) will steal marketshare from Telecommunications carriers
Richard Branson's Virgin Mobile's joint venture with the Australian operations of Cable and Wireless Optus launched in October has begun a major advertising campaign offering free text messaging. APT Strategies believe that Virgin Mobile's business model - acting as a Mobile Virtual Network Operator - will rapidly gain marketshare. APT Strategies recommend that telecommunications carriers create 'pure play' wireless Internet services that are branded to capture the emerging youth market, the most frequent users of SMS.

Download a complimentary analyst report: http://www.aptstrategies.com.au

About APT Strategies Pty. Ltd.
APT Strategies is one of Australia’s first online research firms established in 1994. APT Strategies provides clients with next generation online intelligence accelerator services whereby analysts engage in consultation, deliver best practice research reports and create business opportunities for clients within our network of over 10,000 businesses throughout the world. APT Strategies delivers innovative yet practical business analysis and planning to focus clients on profiting from current and future technology business models.