What a difference a continent makes.
The languages are different. The carriers and how they operate are different. The media and pop cultural idioms are different. It’s wild!
So, specifically, Raul Aristud of Ansible Mobile and I got to chat about how and why Latin American carriers are different from their North American counterparts, how WAP works (ok, doesn’t work) in that territory, and how compelling mobile content can make traditional media interactive and build a community around a brand.
One important thing to note: There are a crap-ton more carriers in Latin American countries than there are up here state-side. A crap-ton, dude. Raul speculated that the main reason Japan and Korea are so far ahead of other markets in mobile technology is because there’s a single carrier in those countries, allowing for massive evolution in on-deck features and software.
And I apologize for the choppy unintentional cut in the middle of the interview. I’m working out the kinks with some unfamiliar technology. 
2 Comments
June 5, 2008 at 9:01 am
to be precise, Japan has three major mobile operators. So, it is not a single… However, the number of carriers are relatively limited, and partially state owned mobile operator has a dominant position, which enables mobile internet a bit more easy compared to the rest of the world.
June 7, 2008 at 5:05 pm
Ah, thanks Yuichi! I should have checked Raul’s facts better!