LANDLINE SHOULD NOT DIE

With the number of mobile numbers increasing, it is safe to say that mobiles have penetrated through India. However with this increase there has been a decrease. The number of landlines has decreased. This spells bad business for MTNL and BSNL. However both these organization have moved from landlines connection to include mobile connection and internet connection.

While the initiative for mobile connections has not turned out very successful, the internet initiative turned out differently. MTNL as quoted by my friend is “internet ka baap”. MTNL probably has the fastest and most reliable internet connection in India. However for consumer to have an MTNL internet connection will require him/her to have a landline connection.

Many consumers in this present over connected age feel that the mobile connection is suffice compared to landline connection; they do not see the need for a landline connection.

However MTNL and BSNL are missing out on a major marketing strategy that is that in a natural disaster or crisis mobile connections are not so reliable either because their towers get knocked out or they get overloaded. Landlines have time and time again proven their strength against natural disasters or a crisis. If they are reminded of or made aware of that security of connectivity that landlines gives during natural disasters or crisis when the mobile connection is down. Proposing a security to a classical unsecure setting that could happen in the future will definitely get people’s attention.

Google Playing the Fight Very Close

A researcher in Google has once again found a security glitch in Microsoft’s Internet Explorer. Microsoft has requested Google to withhold this information so that it can create a patch to fix this problem. This is the second time such a situation has been created.

Google refused to do so. To some this may be seen as irresponsible of Google, even childish that in the name of competition it is not willing to compromise and is willing to go to the edge and start pointing fingers at Internet Explorer. Internet Explorer is the most widely used internet browser and since Google has introduced Chrome it is doing everything in its power to upset Internet Explorer’s number one position.

By announcing the glitch before Microsoft can fix it, is announcing also to lot of hackers of the potential security hole. Users will also realize this. Google is simply forcing them to change their internet browsers.

Is this viable? In the short run, yes. Maybe for a moment if the users are bothered they will switch their browsers and it may not be necessarily be Chrome. Even if users switch, it is highly possible that they will switch back to Internet Explorer once the glitch is fixed. It will take Google more than such a rash tactic to put Chrome in the number one seat. They are forgetting that though they have won brand loyalty of many people, as they move into other areas from Search Engine they will have to play from square one which is dominated by many more mature companies.