Who would still start a business seriously after being reborn?

Chapter 615 Strong alliance
The news sent shockwaves through the industry once again.

"They're insane! They're all insane! Microsoft is burning money, and Lianxiang is following suit?"

"A 100 yuan voucher for a game console? That's incredibly tempting, especially with the Microsoft game cards!"

"This is going to completely crush QQ and UTalk!"

"Where did Lianxiang burn money? They're just using Microsoft's influence to attack Honor, aren't they? The 100 yuan purchase subsidy coupon isn't real money, so they're still making a profit."

……

Microsoft's subsidy war has intensified again with the strong entry of Lianxiang Group.

The subsidies have spread from simple online virtual game cards to offline physical hardware discounts.

MSN's registered user base began to surge at an even more frenzied rate.

Countless bargain hunters, students, and genuine buyers were drawn to the double benefits of online game cards and offline purchase discounts, flocking to MSN.

The most prominent advertising spots on major portal websites have all been replaced with MSN promotional posters.

The back-end data curve of Huaxia Shangding Technology Co., Ltd. shows an almost 90-degree upward surge.

Chen Yongzheng looked at the reports every day with a beaming smile, feeling that he had never been so close to success.

The subsidy frenzy launched by Microsoft MSN and Lianxiang Group swept across the entire Chinese internet like a tsunami.

The combined allure of online prepaid cards and offline hardware created an almost irresistible gravitational field, drawing countless users into the MSN ecosystem.

Momo Group, on the other hand, did not put up any resistance. In fact, even the companies in the Momo Group began to side with MSN, helping to promote and advertise it.

The current situation has also caused Lianxiang Group's ambitions to expand rapidly.

Their gaze was drawn to that place, hailed as a battleground for internet strategists, and also the birthplace and most solid foundation of the Momo Group.

University market.

Previously, due to Momo Group's early planning, all universities in China had formed a de facto bundled ecosystem with Momo's products.

Furthermore, with the removal of the educational network from universities and the unified adoption of computer labs provided by Momo Group for internet access, Microsoft and Huaxia Shangding, despite their strength, found it extremely difficult to penetrate this impenetrable barrier.

However, Yang Yuanqing, president of Lianxiang Group, saw an overlooked breakthrough in this.

That is the 2.5G wireless internet access that was made possible by the adoption of the CDMA 1X standard in mainstream commercial networks this year.

The wireless internet speed can reach 153.6Kbps, and even in remote areas it can reach 70Kbps, which is enough to run all online games.

Although the fees are high, it is not subject to the restrictions of school policies, making it an independent channel that can bypass the traditional defenses of the Momo Group and directly reach students.

Soon, an extremely precise and ruthless campus blitzkrieg plan was quickly formed within the Lianxiang Group.

It is named the "Lianxiang Whispers Campus Pioneer Program".

Yang Yuanqing knew very well that it would be difficult for Lianxiang Group alone to take over the market of 1225 campuses in a short period of time.

If Momo Group discovers that its headquarters has been attacked, it may even abandon its offensive against Microsoft and focus all its efforts on defense.

Momo Group's financial resources are more than three times that of Lianxiang Group, and its connections at all levels are no less than those of Lianxiang Group.

If they were to confront each other head-on, their chances of survival would be extremely slim.

Therefore, it is necessary to find allies.

As Yang Yuanqing looked at the proposals that her department kept submitting, she gradually began to think about potential partners.

Huawei Group.

Currently, Huawei Group and Momo Group have business conflicts. Huawei's newly launched A521 PHS phone, which can access the Internet, is fiercely competing with ZTE PHS and Starcom PHS phones, which are supported by Momo Group.

In addition, the two sides had significant disagreements in the field of 2G network cards.

In early 2004, Huawei launched its GPRS internet access device, priced at 1800 yuan. At the same time, ZTE's GPRS internet access device, which had been in deep cooperation with Momo Group, was priced at 699 yuan.

By the end of 2004, ZTE, following the advice of Momo Group, added a connection cable to its mobile phones, enabling them to provide 2G internet access to laptops via mobile phones.

Huawei Group Vice President Xu Hou even publicly challenged Momo Group, claiming that Momo Group was a cancer in the IT industry.

This feud has been widely discussed in the industry.

The launch of Huawei's EC300 series network cards presents a great opportunity for cooperation.

If they join forces with Huawei, they will have more than enough to dominate the campus market.

Yang Yuanqing took out her phone, opened her contacts, and her gaze lingered on a name.

Xu Hou, Executive Vice President of Huawei Group.

After the call connected and some pleasantries were exchanged, Yang Yuanqing didn't mince words and went straight to the point: "President Xu, you must have seen the situation Momo Group is in. Now there's an opportunity that might allow our two companies to settle a score in some areas."

Xu Hou, speaking calmly with a hint of barely perceptible wariness, asked on the other end of the phone, "What does Mr. Yang mean?"

“The university communications market.” Yang Yuanqing uttered four words, emphasizing, “Momo Group has surrounded universities like an ironclad fortress with its computer labs and campus networks. Now, domestic universities only know ZTE and not Huawei. But now, we have an opportunity to break through it from the outside.”

He immediately elaborated on his campus pioneer plan based on 2.5G wireless network cards, and then put forward his core proposal: "Lianxiang's laptops, combined with its distribution channels, Huawei's latest EC300 series network cards and technical support, plus the data packages bundled with operators, are enough to start a revolution among students."

“We are not just selling equipment, but also promoting the concept of free internet access anytime, anywhere. This can definitely hit Momo Group’s weak spot. In recent years, they have really overreached.”

Xu Hou remained silent on the other end of the phone.

They do indeed have some grudges with Momo Group. From being crushed by ZTE in the pricing of internet cards to being sandwiched by ZTE and Starcom, which are supported by Momo, in the PHS market, especially Cheng Yi's statement that communication equipment should benefit the general public, which Xu Hou regarded as an insult to the value of Huawei's technology.

However, considering the growing power of Momo Group, a direct confrontation would be unwise, which is why they did not take action against Momo Group.

However, if we could leverage the momentum of Huaxia Shangding Technology and Lianxiang Group to strike a blow in their most crucial territory...

Although it may sound a bit unethical, who cares about that when it comes to business?

The biggest question for entrepreneurs is how to survive tomorrow.

"How does Mr. Yang plan to cooperate?" Xu Hou's voice was devoid of much emotion, but the question itself conveyed his stance. Yang Yuanqing was delighted, knowing there was a chance, and immediately said, "Lianxiang will be responsible for the promotion of laptop products and campus channels, focusing on the concept of free mobile learning and entertainment. Huawei will be responsible for providing customized EC300 internet cards and core technical support to ensure network stability. I will personally negotiate with China Unicom to launch a special campus pioneer bundled data package, and we can even try a model of giving away internet cards with prepaid internet fees or trial data with the purchase of a device, to open up the 2.5G internet device market for Huawei."

"Once we unlock the channel of universities, there will be a huge market of tens of millions of people every year, and your mobile phones can also appear in every corner of the school."

This is an offer you can't refuse.

Lianxiang's distribution channels, Microsoft's influence, and the support of operators can indeed greatly help Huawei seize the entry point for mobile data services.

“Yes.” Xu Hou finally gave a positive answer, but then changed the subject, revealing his shrewdness as a businessman, and said with a smile, “However, since it is a cooperation, Huawei also needs to see Lianxiang’s sincerity. In addition to the cooperation on EC300, could Lianxiang Group consider using more Huawei communication network equipment for future corporate procurement and data center construction? After all, our technical strength and stability are far superior to some brands that started with price wars.”

Yang Yuanqing cursed the old fox inwardly.

This is an attempt to take advantage of the situation by bundling products together with other products.

But right now, their primary goal is to conquer the university market and strike at Momo Group.

After all, Honor computers, a subsidiary of Momo Group, are becoming increasingly popular in the Asian market. When they will enter the Chinese market is just a matter of a decision for Momo Group executives.

This is tantamount to a knife hanging over the head of Lianxiang Group.

Although he and Cheng Yi had a verbal agreement, he was worried that Cheng Yi would break the agreement.

After all, a verbal agreement doesn't really qualify as an agreement.

After a moment's thought, Yang Yuanqing readily agreed, "Of course! Only a strong alliance can lead to a win-win situation! We can have our subordinates discuss the specifics in detail."

"Okay!" Xu Hou's voice finally warmed up as he said, "We will fully cooperate. In addition, since we're going to fight, let's make a bigger fuss. You focus on the PC market, and Huawei will support you on the mobile market. Our A521 Internet access PHS phone will immediately adjust its promotional strategy in Handong Province, focusing on targeting Momo's PHS phone business, making it difficult for them to attend to both ends."

"That's great!" Yang Yuanqing smiled immediately.

A multi-dimensional, cross-dimensional attack on Momo Group, encompassing both PC and mobile platforms, quietly took shape during this phone call.

An agreement was reached quickly.

A few days later, Lianxiang Group, Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., and Guangdong Unicom jointly held a small press conference to officially announce the launch of the Campus Pioneer Program.

At the press conference, the representatives of the three parties smiled and clasped hands together. Behind them was a huge poster featuring a Lianxiang Whisper laptop, next to which was a Huawei EC300 internet card, and the large China Unicom logo was particularly eye-catching.

Their slogans were highly inflammatory.

[Free connectivity, pioneering campus, breaking boundaries, learning and entertainment never stop!]

Less than a week later, the specific package plans were quickly distributed to all levels of channels:

Option A: Purchase a designated model of Lianxiang Whisper laptop and add 99 yuan to get a Huawei EC300 internet card + 60 hours of free data traffic per month for the first quarter from China Unicom. This data traffic is conveniently linked to the two hours of MSN's online time limit.

Option B: Subscribe to the China Unicom Campus Pioneer Internet Card package for 96 yuan/month and commit to a three-year contract to receive a free Huawei EC300 Internet Card.

All participating users will receive an additional MSN points gift pack and exclusive after-sales service from Lianxiang and Huawei.

Meanwhile, advertisements for the Huawei A521 PHS phone suddenly became ubiquitous in major mobile phone stores across Handong Province, with unprecedented promotional efforts.

Purchase the A521 PHS phone and enjoy your first mobile internet experience; top up your phone credit and get a free phone!

Their target is ZTE and Starcom's share of the PHS (Personal Handyphone System) market in Handong Province.

The storm suddenly escalated!
The impact of this combined force is far greater than that of Lianxiang's previous actions alone.

Huawei's profound technological foundation ensures that the EC300 network card has advantages in signal stability and connection success rate, far surpassing other similar products on the market.

China Unicom's nationwide network support and targeted packages, coupled with MSN's subsidies, have alleviated the biggest pain point of excessively high tariffs.

Lianxiang's campus sales team received strong support from Huawei and China Unicom's local channel personnel, making them more professional and persuasive.

More importantly, this alliance represents the pinnacle of the IT industry.

The attitudes of leaders and logistics departments in many universities have also become ambiguous.

The combination of Lianxiang, Huawei, and China Unicom brings real pressure and persuasiveness.

On September 21, the autumn night at Jingzhou University of Technology was already a bit chilly.

The campus computer lab at nine o'clock at night was filled with the scent of youthful hormones.

Every screen was lit up, keyboards were clattering, and voices commanding battles echoed across MSN.

This is Momo Group's most fortified stronghold on the university campus, where all traffic is firmly locked within this optimized local area network, maintaining perfect order.

Li Qiang stared intently at the screen, the raid leader's clear roar coming through his headphones on MSN: "Warriors, hold aggro! Healers, keep healing! DPS, go all out! We have to pull through this wave!"

His fingers flew across the keyboard, experiencing a smooth experience with almost zero latency.

This is their kingdom, the perfect online haven that Momo Group has created for them.

His roommate, however, seemed somewhat distracted, his eyes frequently glancing at the computer screen, which displayed an MSN timer for when he was offline, with the numbers slowly ticking.

His roommate doesn't play games; he only comes to the computer lab to log into MSN.

Since Microsoft started its subsidies, many secondhand dealers have emerged on Taobao to buy game key codes, which has even developed into a gray industry chain.

You can earn a few dollars just by casually hanging up a computer in the computer room.

"Damn it, waiting for the computer every day is exhausting, but it's finally over." After seeing that MSN showed two hours had passed, the roommate finally slammed his hand on the table and stood up.

Li Qiang couldn't help but say, "You're complaining now? If it weren't for you bunch of bargain hunters, would the computer room be this crowded? You're just hogging the space without doing anything, you're nothing but beasts."

Just then, the sound of two students talking in hushed tones came from the back row.

"Did you see that promotion from Lianxiang Computer? It seems like they're giving away a network card with the purchase of a computer?"

"I saw it. It's supposedly a 2.5G internet card. Just one costs eight or nine hundred yuan."

"I'm really tempted. I need to ask my parents if they can help me buy a Whisper laptop. This computer lab is great, but it's so hard to get a seat, and they kick people out at 11 o'clock, which is annoying..."

(End of this chapter)