Spotnik Communications (B) - The Partnering Decision

This case follows Spotnik Global Communication (A), product 9B02A025. In the (A) case, the co-chief executive officers of the company are considering a variety of different business models for developing a public wireless LAN network for Internet service in major "hot spot" locations. The (B) case takes place several months later, just after the co-CEOs of Spotnik have completed a presentation to the chief executive officer of Telus Mobility, Canada's second largest telecommunications company. The executives at Telus had responded well to their presentation and expressed interest in exploring the possibility of a partnership. Clearly, an alliance with Telus would have profound implications for the future of Spotnik, but was a deal with Telus worth pursuing under any condition? The co-CEOs knew that they would have to address this question as they worked on the terms of the business proposal they would bring forward to the Telus executive team when they met again at the end of the month.