Telus has launched the Koodo Mobile youth-oriented cellphone service, almost a year after its last attempt to capitalize on the lucrative demographic ended in disaster.
Telus, you’ll recall, launched the Amp’d Mobile brand in Canada around this time last year with much fanfare. Some three months later, Amp’d’s parent company in the United States flamed out leaving egg on the face of Telus in Canada.
Now Telus has reportedly launched a few Koodo Mobile stores in the Toronto area (including one in the Eaton Centre) as part of its new conservative second-brand approach to wireless. No high-profile launch, not even a comment from the company, understandably so given its Amp’d experience last year.
The Koodo service is being launched as pre-paid wireless service growth is expected to soar in Canada. Roughly 62% of Canadians use a cell phone, mostly on a contract basis. Many Canadians with less disposable income still don’t have a cell phone, leaving plenty of room for growth of pre-paid service providers.
While it can be argued Telus needs a second brand to capitalize on the expected pre-paid wireless growth, there is no guarantee Koodo will succeed. The odds of survival for any new MVNO, or quasi-MVNO, are slim. The Koodo mobile service looks a lot like the Fido service from Rogers as well as Bell’s Virgin Mobile and Solo, far more established brands in Canada.
Canadians will appreciate the fact Koodo doesn’t charge a system access fee (much like Virgin Mobile.) The prices, however aren’t any better at first glance than those charged by Virgin Mobile, Solo or Fido.
Koodo/Telus has even taken a page out of Virgin Mobile’s cleverly-designed advertising book with its “Get Lean” advertising campaign that promises users it will help them fight “bill bulge.”
These factors point to Koodo Mobile being a ‘me-too’ service, not exactly a way to help Telus take leapfrog Rogers or Bell in the national wireless services market.
Regardless, the backing of Telus means Koodo will probably be around for awhile and help the parent company drive results moving forward. spiele bankpoker spiel runterladenpoker game,that was a crazy game of poker,party poker gameall in holdem pokertexas holdem trickspoker regeln split pottexas holdem gratis spielenparty poker onlinepoker spielanleitungpoker on nettexas holdem multiplayertexas holdem sharewaretexas holdem rangfolgepoker java gameonline poker kostenlos ohne anmeldungfree texas holdemtexas holdem gratis onlinegratis poker macpoker texas holdem all inpaty poker net5card draw pokerpoker superstars 2 spielendraw poker rulespoker texas holdem strategiepoker spielen mit geldtexas holdem handtexas holdem reihenfolgepoker net comonline poker netpoker regeln splitpoker live spielenpoker online macpoker 5 drawper giocare a pokeritalian poker tourpoker sexi gratisgioca pokergioca a poker on linestrip poker da scaricare gratisonline gamesgioco di pokerstrip poker livegioco strep pokerscommesse internetpoker gametexas holdem online gratis,texas holdem online,texas holdem poker onlinepoker online italiastreap poker gratispoker giochi scaricaregame poker
6 Comments on “Koodo no can do”
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So KR. If Koodo is a really NOGO then who’s the best choice (choice=low cost) alternative to Rogers or Telus?
Posted on March 20, 2008 at 2:25 pm.
Hi Robert,
Good question!
Given that Rogers, Telus and Bell are the wireless service providers of record in Canada, I think you’ll have a tough time finding an alternative per your requirements.
Catch my drift?
KR
Posted on March 20, 2008 at 2:28 pm.
KR, I’m looking for a cheap alternative for a second family phone. Don’t need data aka Blackberry type services—just voice and text. Does this change the landscape at all?
Posted on March 20, 2008 at 3:30 pm.
Hi,
Answer is most definitely no; Koodo doesn’t even come close to changing the wireless landscape in Canada.
If you want to wait for a game changing company, you’ll likely have to wait for a year or so when companies that have bought reserved spectrum in the upcoming auction begin to offer service.
Meantime, you’ll have no choice but to buy pre-paid (read cheaper) service from the likes of Rogers/Fido, Bell/Solo or I suppose Koodo as well.
I’d suggest a pre-paid offering from one of the brands is the best route for your family as there are more features thrown into the mix now + there is no system access fee or initiation fee.
Virgin Mobile now offers a postpaid plan which I believe has many of the selling points I mentioned.
Happy shopping,
KR
Posted on March 20, 2008 at 3:35 pm.
Relatively speaking, I’m not sure how much you’ll save when your combined wireless bills are examined at month’s end.
Capiche?
Kr
Posted on March 20, 2008 at 3:38 pm.
Kevin Restivo’s Tech Blog » Blog Archive » Koodo Mobile: 2 things I kinda like & 2 things i hate says:
[...] Koodo seems like a ‘me-too’ service, that will nonetheless help Telus bring some youth into the [...]
Posted on April 8, 2008 at 2:15 am.