T-mobile UK devolving entertainment responsibility to the user

I was sat in Chez Gerard in Covent Garden this afternoon venting forth on the virtues of T-mobile UK’s gorgeous 7.50/month unlimited data service. Opposite me sat the executive who heads up Mobile Strategy for a global entertainment content company.

“Isn’t it good? T-mobile point you straight at Google and let you get on with it,” I say. (I’m referring to the recent T-mobile advertising campaigns featuring mobiles displaying a Google search box — see the T-Mobile web n’walk page.)

[paraphrasing]

“Yes, that’s because they totally messed up their content strategy with Tzones and all the rest so effectively they’re devolving responsibility for provision of content and programming to their end users,” he responds.

“Right, but that’s a good thing,” I assert.

“Not necessarily. You’re a geek. You’re fine. But the man on the street doesn’t know his arse from his elbow in terms of finding and extracting value from content and entertainment programming on the mobile web, regardless of whether you point him to Google’s frontpage.”

“Ahhh,” I say, “You have a point.”

He continues, “Hardly any sites that a ‘normal’ user will want to access are properly optimised. It’s a total mess of an experience.”

Well he does have a point, doesn’t he? Hmm.

I sat on the train and reflected on this one — I think the optimum balance is an operator maintained and managed portal devoid of fascist operator-preferenced content. I think they should define and lead the content programming of their mobile portals, but should, like the BBC, link to everything. Link link link. There should be links to all the new services I’ve recently mentioned. Services like Reporo, ShoZu, Txtdomz. A Yahoo-of-old style directory and guide of all that’s good, new and hot. As well as the obligatory would-you-like-to-buy-a-£3-quid-ringtone premium services. These things could be so good 😐

Limiting it to their own walled gardens is really depressing. However, as my colleague points out, dismissing the walled garden and sending users directly to Google isn’t necessarily the best step for a non-geek.

Obviously his company are heavily into content, have a preference for controlled, programmed content and have clearly examined the UK market quite substantially. We discussed the issue a lot more over a rather iffy looking steak.

I brake the deadlock with, “So what about Three and their walled garden policy?”

I wonder if he’ll champion it.

“Utter *********,” he immediately responds.

Good – so it’s not just me 😉