RIM’s internal plans for pre-paid BlackBerry service, BlackBerry in a Box
RIM’s already gone and launched its pre-paid BlackBerry server in Indonesia, but there’s a whole lot of countries that are probably foaming at the mouth. We’ve been saying this all along — pre-paid will take RIM to the next level. Why do you think Sidekicks got so popular? Because every single person in the hood could get one, every one who didn’t have perfect credit could get one, and even people that just wanted that flexibility could get one. We have a feeling this is going to be RIM’s power play for 2009. There are two different ways of doing BlackBerry pre-paid, one is daily, and one is monthly. We got a hold of pretty detailed document outlined all of RIM’s internal strategies for this. Stuff like their pitch to carriers, the target market, how RIM gets paid, when they get paid — all of that good stuff. Here’s a little synopsis of the key points:
- Targeting people that are on a limited budget
- People who can not get post-paid carrier credit
- Those that do not want to be tied to a long-term contract
- People that don’t “want to share personal information because of security and tax purposes.” DRUG DEALERS!
Here’s some of the selling points to carriers:
- It takes the risk off of the carrier. Meaning, instead of the carrier shelling out for hundreds of thousands of devices and them sitting in their stock rooms, it would be up to the retailer to sell the devices. By retailer, we’re talking about Best Buy, RadioShack, Fye, etc. Please note by the way those retailers are just for an example, there’s nothing in here that says anything about them specifically…
- It increases how much pre-paid users spend
- The pre-paid BlackBerry service engages users and reduces the churn rate. Stats show that after 25 days of inactivity, 70% of pre-paid users go bye-bye. With BIS however, the carrier has a direct channel to market to the subscriber and send them offers, campaigns, and other things to try and get them to stick around.
There’s two concepts RIM is fooling with in regards to how this works. One is purchasing the device with no subsidy (full price) and buying pre-paid cards to fill up their account with. The second is slightly more intriguing, and that’s a BlackBerry in a Box. The user purchases the device and one year of BIS service all in one package at the retailer. After a year is up, they can purchase whatever they’d like. Another year, time-based access, monthly, all that.
Finally, here’s some last “marketing practices” RIM is touting:
- Don’t call it pre-pay. It has a connotation of being cheap and poor.
- Upsell the IM services like Google Talk, MSN, etc.
- Encourage carriers to put the devices at the front of the store since it’s pretty much a no-headache sale.
So what do you think? If RIM can actually start to get carriers to jump on-board with this, we have a feeling this is going to make them absolutely explode with growth at a time where most other manufacturers are looking at cutting jobs and scaling back production. Who’s buying a “BlackBerry in a Box”?
@ mjohn
“The writer’s assumption that everyone in the “hood” has a sidekick is pretty offensive.”
Wondering if I was the only one that felt the need to mention that.
Otherwise, sounds like a good idea, but I think that BB in a Box would hold an expensive price tag that would deter too many. The idea of prepaid service in general though, is amazing!!
hey has the prepaid blackberry in a box came to the US yet??
Just what they need.
Whos burnin 2 yr agreements on a nokia anymore?
You better make sure that phone is loaded to the brim before you sign that 2 yr.
Oh ya, Prepaid is great. Gimme UMA calling over Tmo @ Home service as an add on and Ill friggin explode. Get the stupid ass service books sent to your brick and youre set for wi-fi. End of story. Quit whinin, and lockingphones to providers. Its BS already. See how Apple, Tmobile, Google are FORCING us to break the law in order to use these phones. Screw them.
All of you dorks who say “why get a smartphone without DATA???” are MORONS. IDIOTS. AND FOOLS who stack up ATT and TMOBILES CEO’s wallets to the brim so they keep forcing this shit down out throat.
See, now they got us paying for fucking alarms and apps and shit when they shouldve added that feature in the FIRMWARE.
Fuck DATA PLANS. ALL TRYING TO ROB US WHEN THEY SHOULD PUT A FUCKING WIFI SATTELITE UP ALREADY AND SCREW HDTV.
I never wanted digital TV anayway…. I WANT NATIONWIDE WIFI!!!!
<—you are one ANGRY dude!
I don’t like the whole getting ripped off with data plans either, but that’s pretty hardcore. Maybe Obama can use some of that trillion dollars to put in nationwide WiFi. Booyah
I think it’s a great idea!! I’d love to have a BB all you can eat plan instead of continuing to pay the big 3 so much of my hard earned cash! MetorPCS just added a Blackberry Curve to their linesup, so they’re aware of the market opportunities.
Will this be like a “TracPhone”? I’d buy a card (monthly 60min, monthly 120min, 400/800 minutes yearly, etc.,), then a BB, then activate?
How many “bells and whilstles” will this offer (email, Text Msg, etc.,). Will it come with an earpiece?
I’m intrigued and interested….especially if I can buy a yearly card like trackphone.
I am from south africa and the cellphone industry is lightyears ahead of America not only do we get better phones way before they come out here our plans are so cheap that people who dont have electricity to charge their cellphones own cellphones with voice/data plans
Hi saki I’m also from South africa and I’m also a BlackBerry fanatic I have it both on contract and prepaid as well. Well its true what you said as vodacom offers the unlimited data plan for BlackBerry and BIS for like R59 which is less than US $10. Good to hear from people from my country.
Sent via BlackBerry.
Ban “Perspective.” What a joke that guy is.
I found this article b/c I was curious as to whether I could add a prepaid (cheaper and completely separate) data plan onto my already active att contract. See…I’m on a plan w/a pal(her plan not mine) whom sees no reason to have data…and I’m too nice to say,”As Long As I Pay the Bill…” I LOVE my BBerry, and would give anything to have data! So, If I could just buy data prepaid and leave my,(her) plan as is…then all would be wonderful, and she would never know, haha!
PS: I’m assuming this type of thing is unheard of…ahh…maybe in the future!
Just in case…email me if you have any ideas!!
Oh, and I would definetely be one of the people in line to buy the “BB in a box!!!”