The Cell Phone Industry

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The Cell Phone Industry Cell phone manufacturers and service providers are at the core of the cell phone industry. These corporations are integral from their research and development endeavors to interactions with the consumer and the marketing of new products. The companies that control such factors of cellular phones are very numerous, so it is difficult to address all the cell phone manufacturers and service providers. However, we have focused largely on only the most significant cellular companies namely in the U.S. marketplace, although many have global ties. Collectively, companies around the world have the same goals in mind – to create desirable cutting-edge technology and to increase consumer satisfaction with hopes of generating sales, and thus profits. Manufacturers and service providers of cell phones are located throughout the world, although, as inCode, a wireless business and technology consulting firm, suggests, “Not many wireless carriers today have a truly global presence.” However, the company predicts that “the top 10 wireless carriers are going to make a push for globalization in the coming years” (“InCode releases…”). Most especially, inCode foresees service providers reaching to “unconquered markets like China, which is the fastest growing wireless market in the world” (“InCode releases…”). Some companies have already tapped into the global marketplace, spreading areas of coverage across continents. The cell phone manufacturer Nokia, for example, is rooted in Finland, but sells cellular phone products virtually everywhere on the globe. Service providers, although most often more less expansive in scope, are also trying to provide more global coverage. Global service coverage is in large demand, especially from businessmen who frequently travel. Linda Stern suggests in Newsweek to global travelers that they should “buy your phone and service from T-Mobile, AT&T or Cingular, the only three U.S. companies to use the internationally dominant GSM (Global System for Mobile communication).” Depending on the service provider, one may or may not get coverage in other countries. For example, Verizon customers enjoy phones that work in Latin America, while Cingular customers have coverage in Europe. Even better is AT&T Wireless, which offers “vast international coverage” or TMobile, another international carrier (Stern). Service coverage varies greatly by carrier, with some reaching many countries and others only small portions of a single country. Part of the reason for the absence of a truly global cellular company is because it is difficult for companies to keep up with the changing trends across the world, as consumers in different parts of the world demand different technologies and products.

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