Is Isis as Stupid as Its Name?

As names go, Isis sounds pretty stupid. But then again, Google probably sounded silly early on as well. Now, Google has the distinction of being both a noun and a verb and has likely already been many a baby’s first word. But Isis?

If you aren’t aware, Isis is a joint venture among AT&T Mobility, T-Mobile USA, and Verizon Wireless designed to promote mobile commerce and payments and near-field communications. Time will tell if our kids derisively tell us dumb adult folk to just go “Isis it" like they say “Google it." I suspect not. It doesn’t exactly flow from the lips. Besides I also suspect the name will change by the time the big credit card companies stop letting the mobile operators fumble around with it and take it over.

It might be a stupid name for a financial services joint venture supported by a few mobile operators, but is it a stupid idea? No. We have been saying for a long time here at B/OSS that operators need to find a way to protect their place in the value chain. They are being cut out of it at every turn. So this seems like a pretty darn good idea. It would have been a great idea had operators not waited until they were pressured by the presence of Google Wallet to actually come up with it, but it is a necessary move nonetheless.

However, when I look at the Isis site and read their press releases and see all the gushing quotes from the operators’ latest partners — MasterCard, Discover, American Express — I can’t help but wonder where that place in the value chain for operators is exactly. Maybe they have us fooled. Maybe they are trying to stay in the value chain … maybe they’re trying to get out! Maybe they have had enough of billing systems. Maybe they want to wash their hands of all those annoying customer relationships.

They are expensive; they are annoying. I guess we’ll just wait and see.

E-mail me at tmcelligott@vpico.com or click on the comment button below.