It's not a game! See how American operators sell their phones.

"Sohu It News" (Wen/Su-yi) with the 4G Spectrum Division clear, China Mobile LTE network construction expanded to 326 cities, 4G license Issued "Countdown", the domestic mobile phone market is in the industrial upgrading of the "window period", operators and mobile phone manufacturers are actively responding to the new "shuffle" opportunities. And the United States as the world's most developed mobile phone market, 4G Network has been commercially for more than 3 years, its operators on the end of the market is undoubtedly the most useful reference. The author recently visited the major U.S. operators and retail channels, and interviewed a number of mobile phone manufacturers high-level, the following is the main information dry goods. 1, 4G popularization speed far exceeding 3G. Verizon, the US operator, began deploying LTE 4G networks in 2009, while a truly large-scale commercial site started in the first quarter of 2011, with the US's mainstream operator 4G network covering 97% people in the United States, and 45% mobile phones in the United States currently supporting the LTE network, The smartphone ratio is closer to 70%. China in the 3G era has lagged behind the international mainstream market for nearly 7 years, but the 4G era in China Mobile "false" drive, the year LTE network can cover more than 100 cities. China Mobile is planning to purchase more than 400,000 base stations within two years, covering more than the county level. At that time, China's 4G popularization speed will exceed the European average level, the domestic 3G era of market development experience can not be "mechanically". 2, the mid-2014 high-end smart phones generally support 4G. 4G has become the U.S. market for more than the mobile "standard", the current price of more than 200 U.S. dollars in the sale of products support the LTE network, after the pay market is low to 149.9 U.S. dollars. U.S. user phone replacement speed of about 18-24 months, while Chinese users update mobile phone faster, the average young users about 12 months, so the domestic 4G high-end mobile phone popularization speed will be faster. Cheng, President of ZTE Corp., said the 4G had become a standard for American operators to gather. TCL Communications China's president Wang is that, with the Chinese mobile and other operators on the 4G propaganda, as well as the end of 4G official commercial, next year, the carrier channel in the high-end mobile phone sales will support 4G, "because no consumers want to spend a large price to buy an outdated mobile phone." 3, the operator's leading power to upgrade again. 99% of the U.S. mobile phone sales are operator contract machine, bare metal sales of only 1%. In the domestic market, operators rely on 3G networks and mobile phone collection to completely change the mobile phone play, the current sales accounted for more than 50%. In the 4G era, with the network of operators, as well as the strengthening of the collection of terminals, domestic operators will be the dominant ability to increase significantly again, such as China Mobile planned 2014 4G Terminal collection 50 million, 2015 is expected to reach 100 million. 4, mobile phone quality threshold to improve. The United States a mobile phone listing needs through the U.S. National Access Certification (FCC), third-party certification, operators in the network measurement; Android phones also need to pass Google certification, WP mobile phone Microsoft certification, each product version changes areNeed to go through the process again. Once quality problems occur, they may even go directly to the operator's ban on "blacklist". As a result of domestic mobile phone market entry threshold is low, cohabitation, especially the three-tier city mobile phone market chaos, individual provinces operators set mining loopholes, resulting in a large gap between the quality of domestic mobile phones. With the 4G high-speed network to enhance the requirements of the terminal, 4G terminal itself to enhance the threshold, the operator's internal audit intensified, the traditional mobile phone market space will be greatly reduced, a large number of small and medium-sized brands will enter the shuffle period. 5, millet practice does not go through the U.S. operators in general each year with mobile phone companies to conduct strategic talks once, to determine this year's mobile phone requirements, style, supply status, shipping time. And collection is generally two times a year, mobile phone manufacturers after the successful sale window time is generally 6-8 months (the iphone exception). Like ZTE, TCL (Alcatel) after the successful bidder generally completed within 1 months of shipment. And in the domestic market product release time, Time-to-market, bulk shipping time is inconsistent, such as millet or even up to 4-6 months. Take the red meter handset For example, the China Mobile Terminal Company in June this year orders, the Guangdong Mobile sales store even in August has played the promotion advertisement, the result has not arrived after two months. China Unicom Marketing department related personnel to the author that Unicom and millet cooperation is more marketing level, in the rice 1 has been eating losses, Unicom's future collection requirements products must be listed within the month. 6, sales channels The United States is the carrier contract machine-oriented market, and in-depth to almost all mobile phone sales channels. The current ratio is about: Wal-Mart/Best Buy (30%), third party sales outlets (25%), operators ' own stores (20%), operators ' official website (10%), Amazon/ebay (10%), others (5%). The domestic operator contract machine ratio of about 50%, the future Suning, Gome, Di, such as chain channels, Jing-dong, Cat and other electric business sites, as well as the operators of independent stores and power channels will become the domestic 4G mobile phone sales of the main force, the proportion of contract machine will be significantly improved. Domestic mobile phone to open channel expansion, Brand upgrade time window will be shortened. 7, the purchase price of the United States mobile phone market after the cost accounted for 75%, prepaid 24%, bare metal sales 1%. The obvious feature is that operators are highly subsidized in the post-payment market, or even 100%. Plus the U.S. credit system is perfect, users buy after the pay-phone price is not high. such as the Apple iphone 5S after the payment contract machine 199 U.S. dollars (about 1200 yuan), Samsung S4 is also 199 U.S. dollars, user purchase threshold is lower. And in the Chinese market, the current three operators contract machines are mainly prepaid, the price of more than 5000 yuan, more than most users monthly income, a high threshold for buying. Post-payment contracts are mainly aimed at group and enterprise users, and it is difficult to benefit ordinary users. However, with the virtual operators to enter next year, and commercial banks to deepen cooperation, as well as increased competition, the three major domestic operators are also research for high-end users to launch a pay-for-payment contract package. With the international first-line brand high-end products to buyThe threshold is lower, the domestic handset brand is obviously not a good news. 8, 4G mobile phone charges down Verizon monthly 4G package for 29.99 U.S. dollars, 4G traffic for 2GB, and give users unlimited call time and message number, for the average monthly income of more than 3000 U.S. dollars of users, consumption accounted for less than 1%, the threshold is very low. and the domestic 4G package is currently at a minimum of 80 yuan (Qingdao mobile), but also limited to 2G traffic, does not include voice and SMS costs, for ordinary income users, the threshold is still very high. and the international high tariff barrier 4G development is not a lack of cases, such as the UK's first launch of 4G operators in the end of 2012, the launch of 4G service, 20 pounds of packages only contain traffic 500M, in 5 months only developed 310,000 users, forced to lower tariffs. Industry analysts believe that the 4G initially limited to network speed and optimization, in order to ensure user experience, the relatively high rates can be understood. But with the rapid coverage of 4G network construction, the domestic 4G traffic tariff downward is an inevitable trend.