A new report from telecoms analyst Ovum says mobile operators are in danger of underestimating the threat that Facebook poses.
‘Mobile Social Networking: change driver & key players’ states that operators tend to view Facebook as a non-competitive presence to partner with. However, it suggests that Facebook’s ambitions spread much wider than simply being a social network.
Eden Zoller, author of the report and Ovum principal analyst, said “Facebook is encroaching directly on mobile operator territory and should not be underestimated. It is much more than a social network and is better viewed as an increasingly rich platform for communications and content. Facebook wants to integrate with everything and be the main way that people consume and share information, anywhere and on any device. While there are good reasons why operators should wish to partner with Facebook, they should be more alert to the fact that it is shaping up to be a strong competitor. It is only by understanding Facebook fully that operators can engage with it effectively, be that on a collaborative or competitive basis.”