Ultra Low-Cost Handsets Vendor Matrix

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ABI Research has prepared this matrix to give an unbiased rating of all the current vendor offerings based on product implementation and innovation. Several criteria are evaluated in determining the rating of a particular telematics offering.

For this particular matrix, under "implementation," ABI Research examines the vendor's choice of cellular links, distribution channels, relative cost, subscriber base and hardware scalability.

Under "innovation," ABI Research scrutinizes the following criteria: differentiating system features, network coverage options, and services/applications bundling.

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Rankings



After individual scores are established for Innovation and Implementation using the above criteria, an overall company score is established using the Root Mean Square (RMS) method:




The resulting overall scores are then ranked and used for percentile comparisons.

The RMS method, in comparison with a straight summation or average of individual innovation and implementation values, rewards companies for standout performance.

For example, using this method a company with an innovation score of 9 and an implementation score of 1 would score considerably higher than a company with a score of 5 in both areas, despite the mean score being the same. ABI Research believes this is appropriate as the goal of these matrices is to highlight those companies that stand out from the others.