Forum Archive Index - January 2000

["Ben Dutton" <bendutton@sharechat.co.nz>]

Hi Paul,

 

I think you are right -- Steve Clarkson's "SurfingTheNet" will not be *major* competition to EPH -- it's the many cyber cafes scattered around the country, giving out free net access with coffee etc, that is the worry.

 

That, along with WAP on cellphones and cheap (and in the case of some ISP's in the US and Great Britain, free) Internet access will be competition to E-Phone's network and proposed CD.

 

Technology and the commoditisation of technology (Tony - you wanted to know what the commoditisation of the Internet meant - basically, it's referring to the net as a product that is available everywhere for anyone, just like Coke, McDonalds etc) will (I believe) pose problems for E-Phone's future plans.

 

The question has to be asked: Why would people pay to be on the E-Phone network when there are so many other Internet access options?  I don't believe that E-Phone has answered this question, thus I will remain a sceptic.

 

Great to have some dialogue over this,

 

Best Regards,

 

Benjamin Dutton

 

 

 

 

----- Original Message -----

From: paul dillon

To: sharechat@sharechat.co.nz

Sent: Tuesday, January 25, 2000 8:32 AM

Subject: [sharechat] EPH Competition (Ben Dutton)

Hi Ben and to everyone else on this forum,

 

I,ve just read your post regarding EPH Competition.

I don,t believe that Steve Clarksons SurfingTheNet will pose a to greater threat to E-Phone.

At $15k per Kiosk they seem quite expensive.....will the returns be enough to intice investors to purchase these kiosks? I had a quick look at SurfingTheNets web site, it will give you further information regarding these kiosks.

 

I,m more interested in E-PHONES Pre-Paid CD, the CD they are developing....on purchasing a CD from E-PHONE you could use this in any PC anywhere in the world to surf the net..not just at E-PHONE sites.

 

Have a look at www.e-phone.com.au for further information... pay special atention to Frater Williams and co,s research report, this will give you further information regarding the CD E-PHONE is developing, it also notes that there forcasts have not inc any revenue from this new product(The CD). E-PHONE believe that eventually the CD will become the main stay of there business, quite possible.

 

Anyway would be interested to hear any further coments.

 

Happy investing.