So you're shopping for a phone. 

Phone A is $30 with 2 year plan. Slim, sleek, and flashy.  2 megapixel camera.  High speed internet.  Virtually no internal storage.  Flash drive slot.  This phone is available on T-Mobile.

Phone B is $80 with 2 year plan. Slim, sleep and flashy.  2 megapixel camera.  High speed internet.  Mp3 player.  Video player.  Virtually no internal storage.  Flash drive slot.  This phone is on at&t.

So I took an informal survey of friends and coworkers.  Almost everyone goes for Phone B.  And nobody uses the mp3 player or video functionality regularly.

• Carriers are desperately trying to hold on to their ownership of the user mobile experience. 
• Many carriers are doing so by discounting flashy and fun phones. 
• But there is a smarter way to go. 
• There is value that the networks can offer - unique value that device manufacturers cannot replicate.  Value that will carve out a significant value add for individual carriers.

If you had a choice between added built-in entertainment functionality like an mp3 player you will never use - or integrated services - like an emergency roadside assistance program, medical emergency assistance, cheap/affordable voice driven emergency directions etc - which would you choose? 

Would these value add services provide a better, stronger more differentiated revenue stream for carriers than integrated mp3 players?