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T-Mobile boss attacks "cynics" who doubt his Internet vision

"When the first mobile networks were launched, they were met with lots of cynicism," said Rene Oberman, ceo of T-Mobile last week. "There is a similar cynicism about mobile data today - but mobile will become the centre of the Internet."

Oberman took advantage of a podium provided by Taiwanese phone and PDA pioneer, HTC, which was setting up its European office in the UK last Friday. As one of two operators to send VIP speakers, T-Mobile had its own agenda: to hit back against those who scoffed at its recent deal with Google on Web'n'Walk.

The right social noises were made to please HTC CEO - and host of the event - Peter Chou, with Oberman saying how much he regretted he couldn't have an "exclusive" relationship with the Taiwanese maker. But his main rallying cry was to "Believe in mobile data!"

Oberman recalled the early mobile phones which, he reminded his audience, were big, heavy, and power-hungry. "Even as late as the mid-90s, financial analysts said maximum penetration would be 25%. And similarly, when I joined T-Mobile in 98, we fantasised about SMS reaching 2% of revenue. We were laughed at."

Most of mobile's history, said Oberman - a short history, he conceded "has been on voice. In less than 20 years, mobile has grown from nothing to be virtually universal. Increasingly, the centre of people's communications, now having reached 35% of all comms activity, is on mobile - and mobile is still growing. It's the fastest adopted technology ever."

And then he lashed out at those who doubted the Web'n'Walk vision (for consumer markets) or the Office In Your Pocket campaign for business markets. "We see similar cynicism about mobile data today, about the Mobile Internet and data space."

The mobile internet, he said was "the ability to take your intranet, your business apps, data communication with you, wherever and whenever. That's what I'm talking about."

He continued evangelistically: "The Internet has been disruptive. Few of us today could do without the Internet. To date, though, Internet and data have been a fixed line world, and that is now changing. Mobile will become the increasing centre of the internet; it will grow total data and internet traffic; and will eventually displace internet and data on fixed line."

The impact, said Oberman, "will be profound. It is taking us towards a world where we can access whatever we want, wherever we want it. It is, eventually, turning us into a service industry."

There are, he admitted, hurdles to clear. "The user interfaces for mobile Internet are not yet ideal. Ultimately, you will be able to ask, literally ask with your personal voice, what you want."

And T-Mobile (he reminded us) is already a considerable player in the mobile internet, with a market leadership in WiFi hotspots. "We have changed people's approach to mobile data and the Internet," said Oberman.

And he attacked the laggards: "Some operators are still serving up walled gardens, and calling that Internet. To us that is disappointing and makes no sense. The way forward, is to make our customers able to do what they are used to doing on their PCs, but in a way that is more user friendly."

He concluded by praising HTC: "I think HTC is just a great company; congratulations for building it. And with that, Oberman gathered his minder and left, avoiding any embarrassing questions which the audience of journalists and analysts might have wanted to ask.