Unwired provides internet access services over its own wireless networks.
Engin provides VoIP – Telephone services over the internet.
Seven provides Television, in what can be described as slow play from the US.
Seven bought a large stake in Engin a fair while back.
Engin recently bought a stake in Unwired.
What do you get if you combine the three?
Triple play services.
Unwired provides the internet connection, engin provides the telephone service and Seven give them IPTV and TiVO, etc.
So you end up with a possible triple play scenario forming between the three, though for something really workable, I think the ultimate goal would be to become an all in one setup, that is all 3 merge in someway as a new entity, like.. S.U.E (Seven, Unwired and Engin), that way they can provide all 3 services to customers on the one bill, still a popular marketing trend attracting consumers that don’t seem to have the ability to add 3 numbers together.
There is also speculation that Optus might want a stake in Unwired, however speculation surrounds channel seven being in discussions with Austar over its unused wireless spectrum that could be useful to both a combined company of Seven, Unwired and Engin, as well as Optus and its OPEL partnership.
Seven could take up big stakes now and become a serious TV, Phone and Broadband provider by getting close to Unwired and Engin with rolling out wireless based networks which would allow users to get all three products, the extra spectrum would give it coverage in regional areas.
OPEL would also be on a nice bite for spectrum to enable a deeper spread of its wireless technology over a frequency not so prone to loss after a shorter distance (2.5Ghz vs 5Ghz).
The times ahead continue to get interesting.
Deutsche Telekom for Australia’s FTTN network, and S.U.E for the regional network in competition with OPEL and Telstra?
It could happen!
Enjoy!