Third generation wireless services are not likely to hit Australia until at least 2003, according to one PWC expert, with 2.5 generation services being offered in the interim to whet the appetites of consumers.
"We'll see WAP and interactive services develop on 2.5G, before 3G comes on stream, probably in the next two years," Telco Lead Partner PricewaterhouseCoopers Asia Pacific, Bruce Meehan said.
The 2.5G services coming through in the short term will enable greater broadband access from the existing GSM network.
The big question on everyone's lips is how to implement third generation services into the market, what business models will prove popular and what audience the provider's will need to target to make it happen, according to Meehan.
At a PricewaterhouseCoopers conference in Sydney, experts spoke on the "evolution of third generation wireless services in Australia."
"There is a lot to learn about business models and what will prove popular," before 3G can enter into the market, according to Meehan.
At present there the focus is on collaborating and building applications to run on 2.5G services and the thrust to promote these services will occur early 2001.
"The big question is what will the target audience be, because it will be a different target market due to the convergence of mobility and the Internet. It will appeal to the younger generation," Meehan said.
He believes there will be a lot of partnering between telcos, information providers and corporate organisations in the wake of the 3G Spectrum auctions in February 2001.
"Then we will see the delivery of 3G services, using the spectrum those organisations purchased, in late 2002 to 2003," Meehans said.
