7-Eleven and other companies have started their own mobile phone services, reflecting the ease of repackaging cellphone service. The New York Times reports.
“The emergence of these companies, and the segmentation of the mass market, reflects the ease of repackaging telecommunications services in the digital age.
“You no longer have to be a technology company to be in the technology business,” said Kevin Elliott, vice president of merchandising for 7-Eleven, which in June 2004 introduced the service and now offers six models of phones at 5,500 stores, with hopes that the service will drive up customer traffic. “You pull it out of the box, turn it on and start talking.”
The growth of this business highlights how cellphones have become just another inexpensive commodity and also a means of consumer self-expression. The mobile phone has evolved into such an everyday staple that choosing a provider can be something like choosing an affinity credit card”.
[via Textually]
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