Looking for the right "box": It's cold ... warmer ... hot?

Despite the cool weather, the Moscow Summer 2004 may well be regarded as hot, at least in the field of competition for mobile subscribers. Summer Season is about to begin, and with it a global marketing lull, "land of nod" to mid-August, and even up to the September. At the end of the first decade of June is usually possible to sum up preliminary results of the pre-summer marketing initiatives and advertising campaigns, but not so simple. Summer maneuvers MTS and MegaFon Moscow market can be considered valid, but the symmetrical response BeeLine we have not seen. The logic of events forces us to assume some surprises coming in the near future. Let's try to assess the situation and predict possible steps Vimpelcom - unless, of course, those will materialize. In any case, to come soon, the maximum per week. The more interesting play "guessing".

MTS - respectable solidity

Mobile TeleSystems prepared for the summer season, with characteristic thoroughness. Take care of all categories of existing subscribers (not scattered), while summer have prepared impressive initiatives to attract new ones. Docking of the introduction of 15-percent discount on contracts and Leta Jeans for prepaid-rates was carried out with a jeweler's precision, MTS Marketing has worked on the "five-plus." In the first stage the maximum number of contract customers were attracted discount and reliably "detected" an additional agreement that provides for penalties for the care of MTS or a shift to prepaid-rate band "Jeans". The connection discount was given six weeks to decide is helping to boost advertising in the press and on television. From June 1, without warning, started the program "Summer Jeans with great trehtsentovymi net calls, I dare suggest that quite a lot of contract" 15-percent "of MTS with a heavy sigh, went to buy the second SIM-card, too have been profitable TP Jeans for intranet communication. Juicy details: May 28 (three days before the announcement of "Summer Jeans) MTS contract customers among the mass SMS-mailing with a reminder of the opportunity to receive a 15% discount in exchange for a guaranteed annual loyalty. Rather spoils the mood of AON, which is from July 1, MTS promises to pay, but may also extend the free use - the probability is high enough.

Outcome: Moscow MTS temporarily (for summer) to get cheap on-net calls to prepaid-rates for Internet usage in the country (GPRS) is still required to connect to contract tariffs in some countries appeared GPRS-roaming.

MegaFon - year tuning and control of deficit

The first "preemptive" action was the introduction in the summer of cheap (1 cent), divert calls to mobile phones of other operators. It is assumed that this will help retain subscribers, whose cottages were outside the coverage area. The emergence of atypical for this operator TA contract with a symbolic fee, full roaming and pay only for the incoming connection - the obvious villa-vacation option. And finally, the notorious O'Layt as the main "zavlekalochki.We already wrote about the "canned energy" of the tariff, which sales were severely restricted. Given the shortage was not required to invent anything, it was enough to throw the market a sufficient number of boxes. Which was successfully completed last week. However, summer offer MTS was unexpectedly generous and MegaFon seems to be taking the next step: According to unconfirmed information kits O'Layt were immediately delivered to dealers and at low cost, claim that the "Crossroads" These boxes have already started to sell for 298 rubles. 50 kopecks. And buyers of contracts since June 5, going to give a box, "Just." Outcome: MegaFon subscribers get a cheap diversion for the summer and attractive contract TA "one to one and all who wish O'Layt finally able to get it.

Beeline - "no brakes, snikersni!

Recently published statistics are not comforting: the pace of growth in subscriber base in the Moscow region continues to lag behind Beeline MTS. While more subscribers of Beeline, MTS but is gradually catching up with its main competitor. It is not excluded that VimpelCom deliberately refused to participate in Moscow's summer racing and concentrated its efforts on the intensive development in the regions. However, in this case, the fall, the company may have difficulties with the restoration of the lost positions in June. The second option - BeeLine waited until the competitors will lay on the table all of their trump cards. In this case, a retaliatory move should follow very soon. Interestingly, the operator can offer its customers?

Changes in contractual TP is possible but unlikely - the operator is not so much in Moscow contract subscribers. The next free celebration of love? Hardly: it is too weak response to the beautiful 3 cents MTS. In addition, free calls to your favorite number is clearly not met the expectations: Nikolai Pryanishnikov lamented the fact that relatively few customers took advantage of this opportunity, but those who benefited have done it "from the soul." The current two-fold reduction of tariffs on weekends in summer vacation season is not so important, and not perceived as an adequate response to the "Summer Jeans. Minimal symmetric response is seen season (summer), reducing the cost of outgoing calls to all mobile to the level of five cents (three would be better, but this is unlikely). Another option - a single preferential price for calls, say 10 cents on all phones including the city. Other viable options for response are not observed. By the way, no harm would have to stop, finally, take a subscription fee for Caller ID.