Italian operator Wind has announced that it has added a range of Nest-branded smart home devices made by Alphabet (Google’s parent company) to its Digital Home & Life catalog. All customers of Wind and its fixed line division Infostrada can acquire the energy-saving Nest Learning Thermostat, the Nest Cam Indoor security camera or the Nest Cam Outdoor security camera at special rates and pay for them in monthly installments via their phone bill.
For postpaid customers, the devices can be can be bought with a small upfront payment and 30 monthly payments of as little as €2.00 (US $2.14), which means a discount of up to €110.00 (US $117.50) for the Nest Learning Thermostat and €90.00 (US $96.10) for the Nest Cam. For prepaid customers, the installments can be as low as €4.00 (US $4.27) per month, according to the operator.
Tarifica’s Take
As the range of mobile-enabled services expands, operators have numerous opportunities to benefit from them. As we have pointed out before, they should be looking for ways to profit from such services beyond simply providing the necessary mobile bandwidth. Connected devices such as those branded by Nest can, of course, be bought and used independently of any mobile operator’s network. But Italy’s Wind is making a savvy move by bringing Nest products into its ecosystem.
By offering discounts and purchasing plans for these increasingly-desirable devices, Wind is ensuring, first off, that it rather than another operator will get the revenue from the data consumption that will occur once the devices are installed in its customers’ homes. In addition, the convenient installment plans, by making it easier for subscribers to afford the smart home products, have the effects of increasing customer satisfaction with the operator in near term and helping with retention over time.
Finally, by linking itself with a popular global brand, Wind is boosting its own brand. By making it clear that it embraces new technologies and helps them to proliferate by making it easier for its customers to afford them, the operator increases its relevance in the ever-evolving marketplace.