SBC yup, the stodgy old SBC is now going to launch the BlueRoom, a music content website with video clips and all. It will sponsor a movie launch, and well do a whole bunch of stuff to get some stret cred. Baby Bells are going through the equivalent of “teaching old dog new tricks” phase, as they try and learn how to become hip in a broadband world where new brands define cool. The problem is that historically Bells have not done a good job of content. They have such a huge customer base, that they have to go for an approach that makes everyone happy. And that means, in the online world, they are quickly labeled ho-hum. I think they will have to try a lot of strategies to position their “broadband” is better than the “other broadband.” It is going to cost a lot of money, but really won’t mean anything, because consumers in an online world rarely go to predefined destinations. From where I sit, I think by offering 20 megabit broadband is good way to get “instant cool.”

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