Amid the tectonic changes occurring in the telecom industry, one of the top questions is how the wireless carrier avoids being relegated to being the "dumb pipe" provider. After all, look at the salvos being fired – voice yields and average revenue per unit (ARPU) continue to drop; direct-to-consumer (off portal) has gone from near zero to one-third of download revenue in only 18 months; ...

I am a big believer in the potential for mobile music, but I do not believe that the phone will become an individual's default music player. Similarly, megapixel cameraphones might displace some disposable camera sales, but the phone can never be considered as a serious substitute for anyone remotely interested in real photography.

Mobile security discussions traditionally have centered mainly on enterprise requirements. Thanks to VPNs, authentication schemes, firewalls, secure mobile e-mail services and increased attention to device management, the industry has held off most types of lethal invasions. But it's time to turn our attention to the consumer.