Numeric Domains

Developing Nations - Picking Up the Mobile Pace

That venerable organization, UNCTAD, (who dat?, ed.) an offshoot of the UN claims that "Mobile phone users in developing nations now make up 58% of handset subscribers worldwide". And according to the ITU , mobile phone penetration rates are expected to reach 50 percent by early this year with the three billion subscription mark already passed some months ago.

Unsurprisingly, most of that growth is coming from emerging markets like Africa, which has come up with a growth rate of 50 percent in the last few years. The stars of the show, equally predictably, have been the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) adding one billion new users between them last year.

Undoubtedly, the vast majority of the mobile phones being purchased are NOT of the Smart phone and qwerty keyboard variety. They are of the standard key pad alpha-numeric configuration used on billions of cell phones world wide.

As our unofficial anecdotal learning curve suggests, many new cell phone users will type-in random numbers into their browsers to test the wireless internet waters. These meanderings eventually lead subscribers to properly formatted internet sites designed to deliver information and services. As their efforts improve access over time, they will come to realize that  inputting 42637.com leads to "games", 2428.com leads to "chat", 6397.com leads to "news", 32232665.com leads to Facebook etc. Companies delivering mobile content such as Worddial continue to see growing traffic from these developing countries.

This can only bode well for increased use of numeric domains.

They'rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrre Off !

If you're like me and subscribe to dozens of newsletters, you'll know what I'm talking about. We've just finished the "last years recaps" and here we are, two days into the new year, and everybody and their respective dogs has got their 2008 predictions.

Here are just a few examples:

Mobile TV Superstars could emerge from dragged-out writers strike:

"With so much uncertainty in the air, some film and TV writers are now negotiating with venture  capitalists and other investors to develop their own Web-based distribution channels while completely bypassing the Hollywood studio system. Some expect new companies to be formed in the coming months that could include everything from privately owned studios to new distribution channels."

Comment: It's interesting to note that the writers are looking for royalties from many new non-traditional sources of revenue. The fact that they are negotiating with venture capitalists to develop their own Web-based distribution could well be another thin edge of the wedge in a move towards mobile.

Web Playgrounds of the very young:

“There is a massive opportunity here,” said Steve Wadsworth, president of the Walt Disney Internet Group, in an interview last week.

Behind the virtual world gravy train are fraying traditional business models. As growth engines like television syndication and movie DVD sales sputter or plateau — and the Internet disrupts entertainment distribution in general — Disney, Warner Brothers and Viacom see online games and social networking as a way to keep profits growing.

Now the proliferation of broadband Internet access is forcing players to rethink the ways they reach young people. “Kids are starting to go to the Internet first,” Mr. Wadsworth said."

Comment: Wireless access to the internet is surging worldwide. It's inevitable that tweens and teens will continue to access the internet using their cell phones. All those web sites specifically purposed for mobile will require URLs to access the sites. Numeric domains are a viable alternative.

Mobile Social Networking and music also ride the wave

"Mobile communities provide a closer, more intimate experience between musicians and  their fans, and will be the social media of choice in the evolved music industry of 2008. Not only does the medium of mobile prove extremely effective at targeting predetermined social network groups, but with many users having limited access to the Internet via a PC, mobiles are now emerging as the most convenient and popular way to quickly discover cool new music which can then be downloaded directly on to their handsets."

Comments: Music, film festival clips/shorts, streaming tv video, mobile banking, retail sales, flirting, dating, investing, the list goes on. The sleeping giant that is the wireless web has moved past stirring and is making its way to upright. Get positioned now to take advantage of this phenomenon.

My prediction: 2008 will be the breakout year for numeric domains and word numbers to take center stage.