MEF Executive Questionnaire #8: Caroline Paul, Marketing Manager at SpeedCast

MEF continues to seek new ways to profile its members and promote the thought-leadership of the senior executives within these companies. We are pleased to launch the MEF Executive Questionnaire to reveal the real people behind the industry in an informal and entertaining manner.

This will be a regular feature of the MEF blog, so make sure you subscribe via email or RSS. If you are a senior executive from one of our member companies and would like to be featured then please contact MEF Marketing Director, Stephen Jenkins.

The eighth in the series is from Caroline Paul, Marketing Manager at SpeedCast.

1. Please describe briefly your main company activities and your role within that organisation.
SpeedCast is a leading satellite telecommunications service provider that offers high-quality managed networks services in over 35 countries in Asia, Middle East and Africa. With 10 international points of presence and 7-teleport-operations, it boasts a unique infrastructure to serve corporate and carriers’ requirements. Operating over 10 VSAT platforms SpeedCast has developed a strong operations expertise and an efficient support organization, which are at the root of SpeedCast’s success. Leveraging the latest satellite technologies, SpeedCast has taken leadership positions in Asia in the provision of reliable and efficient network services to key industries like Cellular networks, Maritime, Banking or Oil & Gas. SpeedCast Ltd is also a pioneer in the delivery of digital media content and turnkey video platforms to Service Providers and Media Broadcasters, including 3G TV and DVB-H based Mobile TV platforms. Operating on many different satellites in both C-band and Ku-band, and partnering with Tier 1 carriers for its fiber requirements, SpeedCast Ltd and its 150 partners worldwide provide first-class services and 24/7 technical support.

2. Without necessarily revealing any confidential information, please outline the principal business models your company uses

• Turnkey solution for Internet Services Providers (content licensing, platform, and service operations)
• OPEX model to limit operators investment
• Centralized platform shared between different customers
• Leverage on our satellite experience to deliver content all over Middle East/Asia

3. What has been your company’s greatest achievement to-date?
Launching Mobile TV Services with 15+ mobile operators.

4. What is your company currently working on that is going to move the industry forward?

• DVB-H platform deployed in partnership with Alcatel Lucent
• Development of SpeedCast white label on device portal and rich media mobile TV service
• Content aggregation (today SpeedCast has signed an agreement with 50+ channels (locals, internationals, and ethnics)
• Launch a solution especially designed for smartphone ( iPhone, Android, Blackberry Windows mobile)

5. What is exciting you most in 2010 (either personally or professionally)?

• 15 additional operators in Asia or Middle East
• Allocation of DVB-H licenses
• Integration of our different services together. (ODP, Mobile TV, Mobile Music…)

6. What is the most important piece of technology in your life?
Interface and ease to use as simplicity is key for service catch up and stickiness.

7. What mobile device(s) do you use?
iPhone and Nokia N95

8. What’s your favourite application?
Mobile TV, SMS, Facebook Mobile, mobile email, currency convertors

9. What’s your ringtone?
Built in

10. Which mobile industry blogs do you regularly read and why?
http://googlemobile.blogspot.com/
http://www.mobilephoneblog.org/
http://www.mobilebusinessbriefing.com/
http://www.mobileinnovation.org/

11. What is the biggest mobile content issue that is likely to affect the industry within the next 12 months?
Local regulations