BlackBerry's outage post-mortem: Where did it all go wrong? As BlackBerry service around the world returns to normal, online tension has calmed and many are seeing normal service resume on their smartphones. But many are still angry, not least Research in Motion, a company on the cliff-edge of the mobile market. Even as the company scrambles to discover exactly what went wrong, the outages are but one of the many problems facing the Research in Motion. Also, the manner in which the company treated its customers was contemptible at very least, and this will no doubt serve as a very painful learning curve for Research in Motion.
Whether it can recover from it in the long run is another story completely. Source: Associated Press BlackBerry suffered a four-day outage, which spread from Europe and the Middle East, through to Africa, Latin America, and finally the U.S. and Canada. Users took to social networking sites, and Twitter erupted with trending topics of anger, frustration and disappointment in the service. Communication's company didn't communicate. RIM's BlackBerry outage: $350 million max hit, but losing enterprise. Research in Motion's costs related to its outage last week don't amount to much, but the longer-term sales hit is likely to be much higher. RIM is offering free apps to customers due to its outage, but that doesn't go all that far. Jefferies analyst Peter Misek estimated that the explicit costs due to the outage will be limited to $350 million. That amount assumes that RIM refunds one month of subscriber fees to its 70 million subscribers.
The average fee a month is about $5. But here's where things get dicey for RIM. We believe the worldwide server disruptions caused harm to the brand's image. Alex Gauna, an analyst at JMP Securities, said: Infrastructure glitches occur for the Research in Motion about once a year on average; however, this snafu is particularly negative given its scale, duration, and timing coming on the heels of all the other device embarrassments that are diminishing if not outright dismantling its brand equity. If RIM loses its enterprise cred it is done. Related: RIM: BlackBerry Outage Not Caused by Hackers. Research in Motion on Wednesday ruled out the possibility that its current service issues are the result of a hack, and said that any lingering message or email delays are likely due to a backlog that has built up since the initial Monday failure.
"I know there's often speculation in these types of situations about a potential breach or hack as the cause, but we've seen no evidence to believe that this is the case," David Yach, RIM's CTO for software, said in a conference call with reporters. BlackBerry users in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, India, Brazil, Chile, and Argentina have been experiencing email and message delays, as well as complete outages, since Monday, a problem that spread to North America today. Last night, RIM said the ongoing problems were caused by a core switch failure inside its network.
"As a result, a large backlog of messages has been generated," Yach said today. At this point, RIM still plans to deliver all backlogged messages. BlackBerry outage could cost RIM $26-million: analyst. Research In Motion could foot a bill to the tune of as much as $26-million for the BlackBerry outage that hit users around the world last week, according to one analyst’s estimate. BMO Capital Markets analyst Tim Long said Monday that if RIM were to compensate all carriers and customers for the downtime of the BlackBerry network, its earnings would be negatively affected by three to five cents per share in the current quarter.
The calculation is based on RIM’s 524 million shares outstanding. “While we believe the immediate financial impact from the outage is minimal, the risk to future service revenues, and maybe Blackberry shipments, has increased,” Long said in a research note. The company’s stock price has been beaten down steadily for months to around the low $20s as RIM contends with a host of long-term factors, including the competition. The Waterloo, Ont. Estimates on how hard the BlackBerry-maker’s earnings could be hit have varied dramatically over the past few days. The PlayBook is Tanking, but RIM Remains 'Highly Committed' to Tablets. Research in Motion said Thursday that it remains "highly committed to the tablet market" in the face of a report that the company has stopped producing its BlackBerry PlayBook and is mulling getting out of the tablet business entirely. "We believe [RIM] has stopped production of its PlayBook and is actively considering exiting the tablet market," Collins Stewart analyst John Vihn wrote in a widely reported note to investors.
"Additionally, our due diligence indicates that RIM has canceled development of additional tablet projects. " A RIM spokesperson called the note "pure fiction. " "RIM doesn't typically comment on rumors, but any suggestion that the BlackBerry PlayBook is being discontinued is pure fiction," she said in a statement sent to PCMag and other media outlets. "RIM remains highly committed to the tablet market. " Big Trouble for the Little PlayBook? "If you go talk to consumers, they're 100 percent convinced that what they want is an iPad. " The Calabasas, Calif. RIM's market share. RIM Fires 2,000 Employees, Shakes Up Senior Management. Global B2C E-Commerce Report 2010. B2B Business to business. Updated 2005 Dec 19th (2013 Feb 13) this page has not been updated for several years because the content has been eclipsed by newer developments in how businesses do business with other businesses - which are discussed in a conventional lecture(Nabeela noted that the fastparts.com link is broken cause the company no longer is extant) ................. ... ..common examples are manufacturers of electronic productsexample companies are Cisco IBM Intelwhich all have a majority of their product sold to other businesses, even though they may have some %age sold direct to consumers Cisco Connection Online Customer Service Software downloads defect tracking technical advice Online Ordering Cisco builds most of its products for custom orders Custom orders can be facilitated more precisely through online menus Finding Order Status empowers the customer to know when order is arriving and specific details Buy-Side: One-From-Many example companies are .
Prof. 10 reasons BlackBerry can survive - and even thrive | Mobile.
Industry Information. Mobile phones news and articles. It's Official- Cell Phones are Killing Bees. Scientists may have found the cause of the world’s sudden dwindling population of bees – and cell phones may be to blame. Research conducted in Lausanne, Switzerland has shown that the signal from cell phones not only confuses bees, but also may lead to their death. Over 83 experiments have yielded the same results. With virtually most of the population of the United States (and the rest of the world) owning cell phones, the impact has been greatly noticeable. Led by researcher Daniel Favre, the alarming study found that bees reacted significantly to cell phones that were placed near or in hives in call-making mode. The bees sensed the signals transmitted when the phones rang, and emitted heavy buzzing noise during the calls.
The signals cause the bees to become lost and disoriented. Bees are an integral and necessary part of our agricultural and ecological systems, producing honey, and more importantly pollinating our crops. Via Daily Mail. Mobile phone safety. The real truth about the hazards explained for the layman. Mobile phone safety The real truth about the hazards, told by independent scientists In a language everybody can understand Presented by: Physicians and Scientists for Responsible Application of Science and Technology (PSRAST) "Very high time to put the foot on the brakes" This says Dr. 7:08 min Brief summary: Professor Johansson finds that the brain tumor issue is a minor thing compared to many other harmful effects.
Johansson finds it is serious that the politicians take such risks with the whole population in spite of repeated earnest warnings from scientists. Hall of Fame. To Contents Latest news Most recent items on top WHO now admits that mobile phones may increase the risk for brain tumors While formerly declaring that cellphones are innocous, referring to the Interphone study (that actually was inconclusive due to severe weaknesses, see here), now WHO has changed its stance after a meeting of 31 scientists from 14 countries (the IARC expert committee). Comment by PSRAST Comment More" Comment. RIM: BlackBerry's future lies in social networking. BARCELONA, Spain--The secret of the BlackBerry's success is security, according to Research In Motion's co-chief executive, Jim Balsillie, but social networking is its future.
Speaking during a session on mobile services here at the GSMA Mobile World Congress, Balsillie said having security validations worldwide, and features such as built-in firewalls and the ability to remotely lock and wipe devices, are key. "If you don't address this, you don't get to be accepted by the organization," Balsillie warned. Echoing Vodafone Group chief executive Arun Sarin's words from an earlier keynote, Balsillie said carriers have come to a fork in the road that will see them either become pipes or platforms.
They must therefore provide a managed service to users, seamlessly integrating Web services and desktop applications onto handsets. "This is not a concept. Balsillie added that some of the largest companies in the world are considering giving all their employees BlackBerry devices. Rogers launches LTE; debating RIM's future; using Facebook chat - Page 1 - Communications Infrastructure. VIDEO PLAYLIST Rogers debuts Canada’s first LTE network in Ottawa; a demo of how to use the integrated Skype video chat function in Facebook; what will happen at struggling Research in Motion’s AGM this week? Our video roundup this week: NETWORK WORLD As the company launches Canada’s first commercial LTE network in Ottawa, a Rogers executive explains details the new wireless data service and why businesses could benefit.
THE WIRE Facebook has announced video calling integrated with Skype into its platform. Keith Shaw shows you the steps needed to make a video call within Facebook. THE ARGUMENT As Research in Motion faces a crucial annual general meeting, ComputerWorld Canada‘s Rafael Ruffolo and Dave Webb debate the company’s direction. Related Download.
Untitled. Michael Lazaridis, president, co-chief executive officer and co-founder of Research In Motion at the BlackBerry World conference in Orlando, Florida, May 3, 2011 (Photo: Bloomberg) What do Research In Motion and the Vancouver Canucks have in common? Both are Canadian organizations that jumped out to a huge lead, only to cough up their advantage to rivals and find humiliation. In both cases, rioting ensued. In the case of BlackBerry maker RIM, the choking hasn’t resulted in looted stores and burning police cars (yet), but the calls for the heads of the company’s co-CEOs have now turned to howls. For Canada, that may be just the beginning of the upheaval to come.
RIM appears to have four potential paths back to relevancy – and all of them will probably make the company decidedly less Canadian. 1. The debate over that is hot and heavy right now, with pundits suggesting everything from the engineering to the marketing of products. 2. 3. 4. That’s nothing to be ashamed of. Tablet weakness may bode ill for RIM’s future. By Dan Gallagher, MarketWatch SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — While disappointing sales of the PlayBook tablet have had little effect on Research In Motion Ltd.’s overall quarterly results, the poor reception for the device may pose a longer-term problem for the company’s future products.
That point was made by several analysts on Friday, following RIM’s second fiscal-quarter report that showed a sharp decline in net income as sales of its flagship BlackBerry line of smartphones have fallen. On top of that, the PlayBook shipped only 200,000 units for the quarter — less than half of the 560,000 units that was the consensus target of brokers following the company.
Read more on RIM's results. BlackBerry The BlackBerry PlayBook sold less than half of Wall Street’s estimates in the August quarter, and analysts believe it may bode ill for future devices using the QNX operating system. The PlayBook currently is not a significant contributor to RIM’s overall business. BlackBerry's Black Friday. RIM stock plunges to lowest level in five years. Research In Motion seems to have become a victim of timing on the launch of its new BlackBerry smartphones, causing investor selloffs and raising questions about whether it can still compete against Apple and Android devices, say analysts. “RIM’s core problem is that they don’t have any new phones to sell,” said PC Magazine analyst Sascha Segan. Shares in Research In Motion’s fell to their lowest level since 2006 on Friday, plunging more than 20 per cent in extremely heavy trading as company’s relevance was questioned. “The mobile market moves so fast that phones released a year ago already look old,” Segan said from New York.
On Thursday, Research In Motion (TSX: RIM) announced plans to cut jobs as it works to roll out new smartphones and updated tablets in the months ahead to compete with Apple and Google’s Android operating system devices. “At the end of the day, you have to put new products on your shelves,” said Segan, managing editor of PCMag Mobile in New York. RIM under fire: company reviewing future of co-CEOs as employee criticism circulates. Except for perhaps a complete collapse of its share value or meteor striking its headquarters, Research in Motion couldn't have had a more troubling day.
An anonymous executive released a scathing letter, while the Waterloo, Ontario-based company made concessions to stave off an investor revolt. NEI Investments had planned to make a proposal during RIM's annual General Meeting for shareholders that would have separated the company's leadership, if adopted. Right now, RIM has co-CEOs, who have come under fire as the BlackBerry platform burns beneath them. From NEI's perspective perhaps, two heads aren't better than one.
Shareholders could have separated the roles of CEO and chairman and set up an independent chair. But the process will be surprisingly slow, and may cause as much controversy during the General Meeting as RIM seeks to prevent. How badly can be seen in the anonymous RIM executive's letter that ignited the InterWebs with chatter and criticism today. Research in Motion's future bleak with a chance of clearing. While the BlackBerry-maker’s market share has fallen off a cliff in North America, it is expanding internationally.
Mike Lazarus, a Sydney-based software design consultant, relies on his RIM BlackBerry daily to manage his contacts database, store important documents, and keep his information secure. “I use my mobile phone essentially as a mobile office,” he says. “Nearly everything I need to do in the office, I can do from my phone.” Lazarus is one of millions of users of Research in Motion products worldwide who have remained loyal to the BlackBerry brand–despite the growing popularity of Apple’s iPhone and of handsets powered by Google’s Android OS. How popular are RIM products? The company has 67 million subscribers worldwide, and its user base is growing explosively overseas in regions such as Western Europe, the Middle East, Africa, India, and South East Asia.
In the company’s most recent quarter, it posted year-over-year growth of 16 percent. The Sound of the Other Shoe Dropping. Analysts look ahead to RIM's future prospects - CTV News. RIM Vs. Apple Presentation. The Future of RIM / BlackBerry - a knol by Dan Siebes. Research In Motion Environmental Issues Free Essays 1. Research In Motion - Rewards. RESEARCH IN MOTION - Green Blog. Employer ratings by employees. BlackBerry - BlackBerry Product Names. From Blackberry to Greenberry: RIM Goes Green at CeBIT. RIM numbers disappoint again. Why Rim won't kill the PlayBook - and Nokia is its new biggest danger | Technology.
RIM.TO: Summary for RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED- Yahoo! Canada Finance. Research In Motion.