With Google’s Eric Schmidt being broadcast live, and the new App Planet attracting a host of  big name players, the public face of the show looks set to be around application and service innovation. But there will be other topics up for grabs, too, reports Keith Dyer

There was little doubt that the GSMA would make a big deal about having Google’s Eric Schmidt to speak at the show. And they have. They have taken the step of streaming his speech live from their site – the first time they have streamed live content from the conference out to the wider audience.
Of course, to many, it will be presented as something strange, that Google should be stepping into the operators’ world. And not only is Schmidt speaking, but Google has a large presence at the newly-minted Application Planet area within the event. But the truth is that Google is increasingly being regarded as a friend of the operator. Its strategy has changed over the years, and it now perhaps has a newfound respect for what the mobile operator can bring to the table, instead of assuming that it held all the trump cards.

Of course, the success of Apple in leading the application market, and potentially the in-app ad revenues that go with it, has led to a re-appraisal. Not only that, but Android phones have proved perhaps susprisingly popular with a public that knew the qualities and the faults of the iPhone, and was hungry for an option.

So we have Eric Schmidt appearing as a key note speaker at the Congress, and being streamed live as he does so to the wider world. It’s also worth noting the time at which he’s going to speak – arranged as much for the US market as for the European one. That gives another indication that the GSMA sees itself as being a body that now speaks globally, as CDMA operators in the States head for LTE.

Certainly Michael O’Hara, CMO of the GSMA, agrees that the Schmidt event is significant
But he also points to the development of the App Planet event at the show as evidence that the vendors themselves are in need of the showcase.

So what is happening at the App Planet? Well the GSMA has announced that there will be six application developer conferences within teh event, with participation from Google and Motorola, as well as Sony Ericsson, Vodafone, RIM and WIP.  The GSMA also announced that it is partnering with Berkeley Mobile International Collaborative to launch the global “University Mobile Challenge”, a competition designed to spur mobile application development and innovation at the university level. Additionally, the International Mobile Gaming Awards (IMGA) announced finalists for the 6th edition of the gaming awards and will name the eight award winners at the IMGA ceremony on Monday, 15 February at App Planet.

O’Hara said that the industry reaction to the launch had been pleasing.

“Application development is one of the most vibrant, innovative areas within mobile today, and we’re thrilled with the early response to App Planet.”

Of course, one of the things that having six separate application developer conferences draws attention to is the fact that  this space is currently very fragmented.

The GSMA, O’Hara says, is committed to reducing that fragmentation, and that will be a topic at the event.

Elsewhere, O’Hara said that he thinks the main thrusts of the event will be around the development of mobile broadband. There will be 200 million HSPA users by the time of the event, O’Hara says, and with the transition to LTE the industry is seeing connectivity go “to the next level”. The topic for those at the event, he says, is “how to enable that to happen.”

As for GSMA-led initiatives, there was less to say. Normally we see a boost given to initiatives such as PayByMobile, or the Rich Communications Suite, or the oneAPI scheme. But either there isn’t much to be said on these, or the GSMA is keeping its powder dry, because O’Hara would only say he “expected” there would be advances to announce in all these areas.

But what about the early news story about this show? That Nokia is not attending and that other vendors are considering their commitments.

Well, O’Hara said that predictions are that the event will have 4% more floor space sold than last year, and also that visitor numbers will be slightly up at a total of 47,000. As for Nokia, well it still thinks enough of the event to send its networks division, and also to spend money off-site  on hospitality and meeting presence. LG too has moved to a hospitality-only model.

“Overall I still see the strength in the show,” he says. “LG are the platinum sponsor this year, after all, it’s just that we are seeing different approaches to the event from different companies.”

Companies to watch
It’s hard to judge who will be of most interest, but of those companies who have publicly stated what they will be focussing on, here’s a few that we think are at the least relevant. There will of course be plenty of others in the fields we mention, but we pick these as much to illustrate the themes and topics they represent, as to recommend them as some sore of exemplar.

One topic that is going to be doing the rounds in the OSS/BSS space is the move to subscriber-centric systems. It’s about how operators can manage the data they have to hand, to bring together data sources from different places and then to use that to inform their marketing, or offers to consumers.

To help operators ensure successful business, Orga Systems is claiming to offer the world’s first system providing seamless subscriber notification through processing of different event sources. The solution informs subscribers in real-time about relevant account information, thus giving them full control. By using rule-based filter mechanisms the aim is to help operator create a closer customer relationship through continuous communication. This is one solution within Orga Systems’ real-time based suite of solutions for customer billing and administration.  Orga Systems will be present Hall 8, Booth 8B130.

Openwave says that it thinks the the current ‘hot’ issues facing the industry will be:

• The impact consumer demand is having on the industry, the growth in the use of mobile devices, and the development of mobile applications
• How operators can manage and monetise their traffic with smart services such as context-aware traffic mediation, analytics, location information and voice solutions
• The latest traffic and data mediation solutions which can help operators maximise bandwidth and help bridge the gap between developers and operators as we go move into a 4G marketplace

Of course, the company is positioning itself being a player in the mobilising of the internet – with predictive solutions fueled by real-time analytics that mediate among all the different ecosystem elements, enhancing every mode of IP traffic.

Openwave’s messaging will be that the recent explosion in demand for mobile content and data services signifies the end of a distinctly mobile web and the beginning of one web, universally available across all devices. If service providers want to compete in this new untethered, all-IP-based information age, they need more control over what’s happening in their networks.

Growth of the mobile Internet is putting enormous pressure on traditional systems and networks, as well as the operators themselves. Not only is more data travelling through networks, but the type and size of the data is adding to the problem. This surge is causing a mobile data tsunami, which, if not addressed soon, will cause irreparable damage. Openwave says that it has been leading the debate on the data demand challenge, as well as the opportunity it affords.

Turning down the power
We choose this company to illustrate a continuing theme around green networking and efficient use of power supplies and resources. Nujira is to mark MWC by announcing significant progress with its power-saving technologies for the cellular base stations and handsets. On the network side, it claims it has created the world’s most efficient broadband basestation transmitter in partnership with one of the world’s leading RF PAvendors. On the handset front, it will be showing the first working silicon of the test chip to help handset PA and baseband vendors accelerate the integration of Coolteq technology into their devices.

Of couse, many will travel to the show for a steer on the device side – specifically how services and capabilities are being integrated into devices, and which offer the best opportunity for operators to grow revenues and service penetration.

INQ Mobile – winner of last year’s Best Mobile Handset or Device” at the GSMA awards will be back. Since then INQ has launched the follow-on INQ Mini 3G, and the INQ Chat, a full-Qwerty social mobile that integrates Facebook, Twitter, chat, Doubletwist media synching, and free push email. This year, execs will discuss their commitment to the Android platform, a move away from the “get it built” strategy that saw INQ build out its first phones on BREW. Of course, the Android focus mirrors work as Sony Ericsson, and a greater theme at the event – the increasing presence of Google.

There is also lots of disruption is happening on the navigation/GPS front and waze is just one of many companies in the app space. waze features a free, crowdsourced, real time traffic  app that is available on most smartphones today. Location services should be one of the key topics at the show, as the pieces of the market have come together, and have been given a further boost by consumer adoption of the app model. All this, of course, and Nokia has given the space a kick up hte backside with its announcement of free Nokia Maps.

As we mentioned in our preview, one of the issues of concern for the GSMA is the fragmentation of the applications environment, but there are companies out there making a business from ensuring that developers can address the fragmentation issue.

Although there are some sceptics about the idea that developers can develop once and deploy everywhere, (“Develop once, fail everywhere” it has been termed) IdeaWorks 3Dwill be profiling its AirPlay SDK-which allows developers to compile the code of their apps so that the app can be deployed with a single click to all iPhone, Android, Symbian, WinMo and BREW devices.Their technology removes development costs and widens the market for apps for more than just iPhone.
Finally – the networks themselves. With Vodafone halving the cost of its femto product, and rebranding the product to boot, there is sure to be aneven closer focus on femto. If you have questions about this sector, or wonder what the latest developments are in terms of technology integration or price points, The Femto Forum will be hosting the femtozone. The idea is that the femtozone will serve as a one-stop-shop for all visitors interested in learning about the latest developments in the femtocell industry. The event takes place as the femtocell market experiences growth around the world with 10 operators now offering services across three continents and further deployments expected shortly.

The zone will feature a daily schedule of public presentations from operators, vendors, analysts and other industry bodies on the major opportunities and challenges facing the femtocell market. This will include an exclusive presentation from independent analysts, Signals Research Group, which has conducted extensive research into the operator business case using real world statistics from the Femto Forum’s operator members.

It’s impossible to adequately preview this event –  merely to illustrate the potential we’ve touched on networks, devices, OSS, data optimisation, green networking and application development. Good luck in finding your own Congress.

Operators need to be able to ensure LTE terminals can meet their own network  requirements, but in the most efficient manner possible. Can flow charts really help?

Although LTE terminals need to pass tests prescribed by GCF (Global Certification Forum) and PTCRB (PCS Type Certification Review Board), there is a growing requirement to simulate scenarios required by Network Operators to prove their own "real world" requirements.

TTCN is mandated for the conformance tests by ETSI. However, for laboratory simulation of network scenarios, there are a growing number of terminal developers that are looking for more flexible tools to develop and prove their products. While TTCN and C-based languages dominate the majority of 2G / 3G development, some graphical interpretations of these low level languages have attempted to simplify programming. They still require the programmer to have a detailed knowledge of the 3GPP protocols and still use a script based language.

Anritsu took a bold step when it introduced a unique "graphical flow chart" tool (The RTD – Rapid Test Designer) for GERAN and UTRAN scenario development. This became popular with Network Operators for acceptance testing of terminals as it provided an easily understood method to simulate the behaviour of terminals more closely replicating the requirements of the network as opposed to just meeting 3GPP specifications. With LTE there are signs that "graphical flow chart" tools may be used by many developers to accelerate their developments and especially to make the maintenance and iteration of the tests easier.

TTCN FOR AND AGAINST
TTCN was chosen as a scripting language by ETSI for use in conformance testing and is now internationally used for modern communication systems. TTCN allows separation of the Abstract Test Suites and the Adapter Layer which allows portability of the tests to make them platform independent. However this does mean that individual adapters need to be maintained to translate the tests to work with every different platform. This requires significant effort (in developing and checking) to ensure that the UE configuration provided through RRC signalling matches exactly with the SS configuration.

TTCN-3
TTCN-3 has been developed by ETSI as a successor to TTCN-2. Despite sharing the same fundamental concepts, TTCN-2 and TTCN-3 are essentially two different languages – even the TTCN acronym has changed from "Tree and Tabular Combined Notation" to "Test and Test Control Notation". TTCN-3 has a look and feel of Java/C++ which should discourage the resistance from some developers. It also provides a more graphical look which will improve and enhance its usability.

PROCEDURAL BLOCKS – THE HEART OF ANY PROTOCOL DEVELOPMENT TOOL
The concept of using a graphical tool is not unique in other areas of development: using building blocks that are added to a blank canvas to produce a logical test progression with branching and looping has been available commercially for many years. Visually showing the path of different outcomes to a scenario benefits not only the originator but also engineers that may want to further develop the test. The Anritsu RTD uses procedural blocks, derived from the ASN.1 that is created for every 3GPP release and maintained along with any further 3GPP specification releases. As well as providing a test that is visually appealing, it allows test variants to be easily created and tests to be updated automatically, saving considerable time and possible errors.

KISS – KEEP IT SIMPLE, STUPID
By simplifying any complex problem there is a danger that flexibility and detail is sacrificed. The trick is to hide the complexity from those that do not need it and allow the more experienced to be able to "drill down" into the details. The RTD procedures can be opened up to show the IE (information elements) within them and then edited using drop down menus or entering data in fields that are then checked. This makes test variants straightforward to create so once a complex test is created and proven; test coverage may be expanded by using less skilled programmers.

A number of standard RABs (radio bearers) are provided within the RTD which satisfy the majority of users. Radio bearers can be created by the user to generate specific conditions that may be needed to replicate live Networks. This can be done manually or by Log Import Tools that allow transfer of information gathered in the field to create catalogs and network models for use with existing test cases.

SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE – OR DO THEY?
There are some scenarios that may rarely change: for example a registration process. Once a process has been developed to allow all types of registration to be covered, it may be used in virtually every subsequent test. Traditionally a call to a subroutine would have been used with a large amount of associated code. With graphical test flow the process can be turned into a single procedural block (or compound) and simply placed in each test. The compound appears in the picker area for future users.

Inevitably the process will need to be changed to meet a new specification change or to add a feature and this would normally require the iteration of every test using the subroutine. Using TTCN would require significant effort to evaluate the necessary parameterization of a TTCN object (test step/constraint), in order to provide a good trade-off between flexibility of TTCN object re-use and complexity. If this is not properly done (which is generally the case), the number of 'duplicated' TTCN objects will grow linearly (if not exponentially) with your test cases. This creates test suite maintenance nightmares.

The RTD provides an option to allow the compound procedure to be changed once and replicated across all the tests that use it automatically.

NETWORK MODELS AND CATALOGS
Any laboratory network simulator will be constrained by the number of cells that can be simulated. In general scenarios need up to three for serving cells, neighbour cell and a cell to handover to. In order to make configuration and control of the simulator easier, network models can be created that allow the cells to be populated with specific parameters and save complex programming of parameter in each step of the test.

FUTURE FOR GRAPHICAL FLOW
The RTD has now evolved to include LTE and it is being used in terminal design to simplify and accelerate development with a LTE lower layer procedure library as well as LTE Layer 3 procedures. Although Layer 3 procedures are well suited to integration of terminals and overall behaviour, lower layer procedures are needed for development of the terminals. RTD now provides procedure libraries for Layer 3 LTE and Lower layer LTE procedure libraries. Engineers can now create their own scenarios for the development of lower layers and then create their own compound procedures that can be used in L3 tests for further development and integration of devices.

The RTD's graphical flow can show real-time test progress and can be used to debug terminals using functions defined by the user. 

TEST OUTCOMES AND RESULTS
The RTD produces a comprehensive set of results and because these Logs contain, the Message sequences between the network simulator and the terminal as well as a copy of the test in a self contained environment, debugging is much simpler. For other RTD users the results can be examined in detail with full linking and expansion of all messages. They may also be exported to HTML after any pre-filtering of detail, where anyone with a web browser can view the messages.

RTD provides a collection of unique tools to speed up development and integration of modern wireless terminals. It also provides a common path to network operators' requirements and will be the way to get LTE terminals into the market in time.

The increasing number and variety of mobile devices is placing demands upon operators' device management tools. Tom Blackie suggests an answer

s we enter a new decade, we're poised for a transformational period in the mobile industry. Hardly a day passes without a new mobile device; be it a Netbook, eReader, Tablet, Media Pad, Smartbook or Smartphone. We're entering the era of the Mobile Internet Device (MID) with access from anywhere to any data.

Network operators are also scrambling to rollout the latest infrastructure and system architectures; 4 and 5G, LTE, Picocells, Femtocells, hybrid mobile and WiFi support. All aim to provide high-performance, truly scalable mobile data networks, capable of supporting instant access to the burgeoning selection of rich media, bandwidth-hungry applications from the growing number of application stores.

Looking at smartphones alone, according to Gartner 2009 saw a 29% growth in sales to over 180 million devices, out of a total of 1 billion mobile handset shipments. This year smartphone shipments are likely to overtake desktop and laptop PCs. By 2012, Gartner predicts smartphones will account for 37% of the total mobile handset sales, and as manufacturing costs drop, by 2015 it's likely that the current 80/20 ratio will have shifted to 20/80 in favour of smartphones.

In essence, today's smartphones are as powerful as desktops and are rapidly becoming the device of choice for highly mobile business executives. Organisations are spending a lot of money on new corporate devices and mobile business applications, but it is not only enterprise customers stimulating sales. Consumers are also driving change with their appetite for new mobile software applications.

The balance of power is shifting from operators to customers. Locked-down feature phones are being replaced with highly customisable smartphones, where users can download, install, configure and personalize their favourite applications – just as they have done on their desktop machines. Not only will handsets have their unique combination of differently configured applications; customers will also have wildly differing and dynamic content preferences delivered automatically to always-on applications, often based on fine-grain location and social context. Whilst this is good news for operators wishing to avoid becoming marginalized suppliers of commoditized data pipes, it will inevitably lead to complex end-user support issues presenting management headaches.
It is not unusual to hear of operators struggling to deal with the number of handsets returned within the first two or three weeks of shipment. The exact numbers are a well guarded secret, but industry insiders say 10-15% is not uncommon, certainly for the high-end handsets. They are often returned as users can't configure settings, don't know how to use applications and become frustrated with lengthy calls to customer care centres. More often than not, these devices are re-tested and pass with ‘no-fault-found'.

While some of these devices are re-sold, the costs of managing and operating this process are significant; not to mention the costs incurred trying to resolve issues through customer care centres. Whether it is with the operators, handset manufacturers, or outsourced fulfilment and distribution channels, someone is carrying this financial burden. Furthermore, customer frustration simply fuels increasing dissatisfaction and churn, as customers seek higher levels of service.

Stratecast (a division of Frost & Sullivan) estimates that smartphones drive 3X the Average Handling Time (AHT), due to increased device complexity. This additional cost is just about tolerated with today's current volumes and resources; but with fierce competition, revenues are continually under pressure. The shift to smartphones, coupled with the growing complexity of applications, is creating a situation where operators simply won't have the financial resources to keep up with support calls and provide an adequate level of customer care.

Traditional device management technology has gone some way to help users with functions such as automated SIM configuration, device and email settings, security and asset management as well as on-line user self-help systems. But this falls way short of providing the same level of user support enjoyed, and expected, by desktop users. Some providers are starting to talk about the movement from Mobile Device Management (MDM) to Mobile Software Management (MSM). But the more enlightened are working to replace the traditional quantitative contact centre metrics of Average Call Handling Time (AHT) and First Time Call Resolution (FTR), with a mix of qualitative metrics based on Customer Satisfaction. This is driving KPIs such as reduced churn and increased Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) via, for example, sales of new applications and increased data usage.
To effect such a change, innovators are looking to learn from traditional desktop vendors that embraced remote desktop technology. Major players such as HP, CA and Support.com built successful service businesses based on helpdesk solutions.

Operating Systems providers also moved to include such capabilities within the OS, such as Microsoft's Remote Desktop Protocol and Apple's Remote Desktop and more recently Intel within its Active Management Technology (AMT), providing out-of-band system access. These and many more have provided the foundations for efficient end-user support and helpdesk capabilities across a wide range of communication channels. Underpinning many solutions is the open-source Remote Frame Buffer (RFB) protocol provided by RealVNC.

The same has not been true for mobile handsets – until recently. Using new mobile VNC technology, it is now possible to remotely control, test and manage any number of mobile devices or applications, anywhere in the world. A small, efficient and portable VNC Server application runs on the mobile device that allows a specialized VNC Viewer to access and take control of it remotely from a desktop. This means that customer care agents can immediately diagnose, test and manage the device functions and the applications running on multiple operating systems, from one common interface. This immediately reduces support call times as well as user frustration and the potential for simply returning the device.

One solution reaping the benefits of this approach is Sicap's Device Management Centre (DMC), which already provides automated management and customer care/self-care systems on 80 mobile networks worldwide and manages some 800 million handsets. By using VNC Mobile Solution, customer care agents can now remotely access mobile devices to help customers with configuration, diagnose problems, and give advice on the installed applications. The solution supports multiple platforms including Windows Mobile, Symbian and Blackberry, with development versions for iPhone, Android and Linux Mobile available; Maemo and Palm Pre coming soon.

"VNC Mobile Solution provides us with a strategically significant and market-leading solution that was easily integrated into our existing systems," says Stéphane Jayet, Head of SIM and Device management at Sicap. "The combined device management solution creates significant savings by reducing customer care call times and the handling of returns of non-faulty devices while improving service availability and increasing levels of customer satisfaction. A tier-one operator in Europe for example, has reduced the number of returned handsets by 10 percent."

It is clear that mobile devices will only get more sophisticated and powerful. Remember when everyone first got PCs at home and signed up to the early internet providers. Hours were spent on the phone sorting out problems. Now most of these problems can be resolved quickly and remotely. The mobile industry needs to embrace remote control technologies and move on from device management and software management to user support. That way we can keep customers satisfied and save a lot of hassle and frustration.

Those players who step up and deliver exemplary support and service will ultimately win the hearts, minds and wallets of customers. Improved service provision will increase retention, ARPU and reduce costs; leading to increased customer intimacy allowing operators to broaden services, applications and content delivery.

As Web 2.0 features and functionalities rapidly make their way onto the mobile platform, the  arrival of 4G is welcomed. But it won't solve bandwidth bother forever, says Randy Cavaiani

The explosive growth of data usage on mobile devices has been one of the defining industry trends over the last year or so. While the trend towards increasing data ARPU is positive, it has not come without a cost; these data dependent applications are overloading operator networks to such an extent that their reliability and, more importantly, the services themselves are suffering. The situation is becoming so critical that operators are apologising to customers for the disruption to core services, and it is even beginning to affect their bottom line. 

There are two points to consider. The first is how consumers are using data.  The second is the technology.  These points are not mutually exclusive, as handsets and networks have become more capable consumer uptake of rich content has grown, however they do need to be considered separately.  In addition, as operators migrate to all IP networks, a wider range of services that use more data will be competing with core mobile revenue streams, such as voice or text, for bandwidth. Operators must now put technologies in place to not only offer and monetise new data services but guarantee a quality consumer experience across all services that use the network.  There is an immediate need to satisfy bandwidth hungry consumer apps and services without crippling their networks.

While many hold out hope that 4G technologies will largely solve this data congestion, it is an interim solution at best as operators learn to deal with the new mobile internet and applications reality. Below is an outline of the key factors that are affecting data-driven services now and into the future.

Growth of the mobile phone as a web terminal
Mobile social networking and micro-blogging are regularly cited as key drivers of web usage on mobile, with an estimated one-third of 16-35 year olds accessing Facebook and Twitter regularly via their phones  (CSS Insight, Report on Mobile Internet Usage 2009). Novarra's own research from last year showed that mobile traffic to twitter increased 3500% since the start of 2009 and mobile click-throughs of URL shortening services bit.ly and tinyurl.com, regularly used in social networking and Tweets, have grown by well-over 1000% in 2009. Consumers are increasingly transferring web habits to the mobile, whether it be online shopping, checking sports results or seeing who has been voted off X Factor.

While social networking explodes and consumers transfer daily web habits to mobile, this may not be the biggest burden network operators face. Cisco claims that mobile video will exhibit the highest growth rate of any application category accounting for over 64% of the world's mobile traffic by 2013. 
Statistics like these suggest that the growing problem of network congestion already being experienced by operators will not abate, as bandwidth-intensive services become increasingly popular and intrinsic to the mobile web experience.

4G – too little, too late?
The roll-out of 4G and the prospect of an infrastructure more capable of processing the increasingly sophisticated fabric of the internet holds promise for operators but will not be a panacea.

The experience of 3G should be a lesson that data consumption will grow to fill the capacity of the pipe. 2G struggled to cope with consumer demand for basic search and email.  When 3G arrived, demand for such services was replaced by a desire to access even richer ones, such as social networking and content-sharing websites. Similarly, rising consumer expectations for rich services and the expanding user base suggests that 4G will alleviate the pressure of network congestion for a period of time, rather than serve as a definitive solution to the problem. 

The rise of application store offerings from both handset manufacturers and operators poses another challenge to network capacity. Apple recently announced that more than 2 billion applications have been downloaded from its store over the course of eighteen months – almost 20 per user per quarter. This begs the question of how the infrastructure will be able to cope as application stores flood the market and it underscores how the technology of the internet will always outpace that of mobile networks and devices.

Cloud computing
Since the first browsers were installed on mobile phones, proxy servers have served to optimise and enhance the mobile web experience.  Initially WAP gateways, they evolved to transformation and network acceleration servers, most recently migrating to distributed browsing and application solutions. The distributed architecture delivers a desktop-equivalent experience with mobile context, increasing the speed of data transfer and reducing over-the-air payload. While 4G will relieve some of the pressure, there are three primary reasons the mobile internet proxy will become increasingly important.

Growth in complexity 
The need for in-network intelligence to bridge the gap between handset capabilities and web content technologies is ever more important. Next generation approaches require an intelligent, broader array of processing which creates additional functionality and understands the way a user wants to interact with the web via mobile.  Ajax, Silverlight, Flash and other as yet undeveloped technologies will enhance the user experience and create challenges for processing and delivery to mobile. Whether operators continue to offer unlimited data plans or move to tiered offerings, there will always be a need to improve network efficiencies – proxies reduce over-the-air payload by up to 90%.

In-network intelligence will be the norm 
The need for in-network proxy technology will be crucial for the successful provision of new services and cloud-based ‘mobility'.  Consumers will expect services to follow them whereby they can seamlessly transition to and from the PC, TV and mobile with "always on" connectivity and real-time presence, status and alerts.  A device-centric architecture will not suffice.  Networks are the logical place to manage this integration of location data, profile and mobile-context information and services. Over time, applications will migrate to the web and the browser will be the central access point for consumers' favourite services.

Mobile devices capabilities will lag the PC 
Even today's best smartphones are unable to deliver all the richness of web or multimedia and commonly take close to a minute to load pages designed for a PC. Moreover, two-thirds of all mobile devices today are being sold in emerging markets where economic conditions require a very different class of device.  While these devices will eventually take advantage of the wider 4G pipe, they will still require the assistance of a server or proxy browser to be able to access and run the hundreds of thousands of applications available via the plethora of app stores and service providers. Regardless of the cost and capability of these devices, consumers will expect access to the same level of services as those available on high-end devices. 

4G networks will accelerate the migration of the full, rich internet to the mobile environment. However, the distributed mobile internet and applications architecture that offers in-network intelligence and device-side micro-applications will enable service providers, internet brands, and handset OEMs to deliver compelling mobile internet services while leveraging the new infrastructure with maximum efficiency.

Amazon's announcement that it had sold more electronic books than the print variety during the pre- Christmas shopping season was firm evidence, if any was needed, that the era of the e-book has finally arrived.

For those who still remained unconvinced, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January brought a slew of new e-readers and tablets, with HP, Dell, Lenovo and many lesser-known companies all unveiling new products.

So far, most of the e-reader excitement has been generated by the hardware vendors, particularly by the Kindle device from Amazon. But NDS is cementing its position as a technological innovator, as the first software vendor to launch an end-to-end solution for the e-publishing industry.  Building on its experience as the world's leading provider of security and middleware systems for pay-TV, NDS has created a rich, multi-level solution for the e-reader which addresses the needs of all players in the e-publishing ecosystem, from device manufacturers and publishers right through to the end user.
The role of publishers is key to the success of any e-publishing solution, as ultimately, e-readers need content to display on their screens; which in turn provides publishers – of books, newspapers and magazines – the opportunity to regain at least some of the ground they lost during a decade of ineffective dabbling on the Internet.

The digital revolution has not been kind to print publishers, who have seen sales plummet in recent years, along with an even more precipitous decline in advertising across all print media. Publishers have good reason to be wary of the Internet and the devices that display the electronic versions of their products – more often than not without regard for copyright.

Alongside the threat, however, the digitization of print media also holds out the promise of desperately-needed new revenue streams – a facet made possible by the NDS solution. Crucially, the NDS system supports advanced advertising techniques, including targeted and contextual advertising, telescopic and click-through ads, and advanced purchasing models such as the ability to rent, gift or lend content.

The inadequacy of Internet advertising as a replacement for lost subscription revenue was the key lesson the publishers took from their Internet experience. The NDS e-publishing solution will enable them to return to a two-pronged revenue strategy, while utilizing the full advertising potential of the electronic platform.

Publishers are determined not to repeat the mistakes they made in giving away their content for free on the Internet. Thus, their move into e-publishing creates a requirement for robust and effective e-publishing technology solutions, above all for Digital Rights Management (DRM,) the technology that enables publishers to realize revenue from the content published on an e-reader or similar device. To fully address those needs, the NDS solution includes protection of the service, to allow controlled access to content based on user rights, protection of the device, to prevent modification, and protection and authentication of the content itself.

Proving true to the end-to-end solution, NDS is also able to provide the e-reader user interface, which can be based on the look-and-feel of the print product, and a variety of advanced capabilities. These include proven measurement and analytical technologies, which enable service providers to better understand their users' reading habits and thus to tailor their services to their customers. And to complete the package, NDS also provides consulting services for publishers who would like to better understand the technical issues in the value chain. Indeed, before defining an e-Publishing strategy, a lot of issues need to be addressed, such as content aggregation and reformatting, security and control of the content on the end device in a retail market etc. NDS expertise is this domain is well recognized and NDS' consultancy services are well positioned to support Publishers in making the right decisions.

For now, many publishers seem to be content working with the established e-reader hardware vendors. But such cooperation is, in all likelihood, a holding tactic. Many publishers are said to be dissatisfied with the deals they are getting from the hardware vendors (typically 30% for the hardware vendor, according to published reports) and they dislike the vertical nature of the business, they would prefer that their content be available across multiple e-readers and other mobile devices.

Eventually, the publishing industry is likely to follow the lead of the Hearst Group, which launched its own e-reader at CES. "We are going to create an entity by publishers, for publishers," group president Kenneth Bronfin told the Wall Street Journal, adding that the company would also establish a portal with its content available for paid download to a variety of electronic devices.

Other companies that are reported to be planning to head in the same direction include Time Inc., Conde Nast and News Corp.

Publishers have a long road ahead of them before the print revenue they have lost to the Internet can be recovered on the e-reader. But they seem to be determined to see it through, and they will need the support of strong and innovative technology partners if they are to succeed. NDS is just such a partner.

Strategies for profiting from mobile data growth

The mobile data industry has evolved rapidly over the past two years, with the impact of growing 3G penetration, lower cost smartphones and USB laptop dongles, together with the popularity of mobile applications and flat-rate data plans. This has resulted in huge growth in data traversing operators' networks.  The market has now reached a chaotic and critical point with network congestion being felt by operators and consumers alike.

In response, operators are introducing a toolkit of network congestion management strategies that will reduce costs and improve economies of scale by balancing traffic requirements across networks and implementing real time usage controls. 

Policy control, data traffic offload, evolution to 4G, and network optimisation will incrementally reduce data delivery costs by more than 60 per cent over the next three years. A holistic approach that takes into consideration traffic growth, subscriber behaviour, and application trends is vital to long term success.

Policy control  –  how, when and under which circumstances subscribers can access  networks, applications and services – will contribute cost savings of over 10 per cent, equating to over $15 billion in savings by 2013 in the US market alone. 

Policy control provides real-time network, application, and subscriber policies that allow operators to manage mobile data growth and deliver personalised services on a far more refined level than was possible in the past. It helps operators prioritise traffic based on an individual users' subscription. So effective is policy control in reducing traffic peaks that data throughput in the busiest times can be reduced by 15 to 20 per cent, according to Chetan Sharma Consulting.

Shifting data traffic off a congested mobile network and onto another access technology fundamentally changes the economics of delivering that data. Offload is being implemented by operators globally to manage the total data throughput with, typically, two flavours: offload to Wi-Fi and offload to femtocells. In some regions, WiMAX deployments are also crucial to an offload strategy.

Operators deploying a data traffic offload strategy, using service control to ensure transparent and secure subscriber access, can expect annual network cost savings of about 25 per cent per annum by 2013. 

Infrastructure evolution to 3.5G (HSPA) and 4G (LTE) lowers the cost-per-bit for data throughput on the network, thereby reducing overall costs. Network cost is lowered dramatically with each incremental technology deployment, with the evolution to HSPA and then LTE saving just under 20 per cent in costs, according to Chetan Sharma Consulting.

Cost reduction is only one side of the equation. Operators are now creating new service models that move away from unsustainable flat-rate plans towards tiered and usage-based pricing underpinned by subscriber, service, and policy control as shown in the table.

Flexible, dynamic, and personalised pricing models that reflect subscribers' preferences and context, bandwidth and application usage, and network conditions are the wave of the future. 

Comparative cost reduction strategies, when placed alongside the new service models now being introduced, aid the development of sustainable business models for the mobile industry.

But pricing models will ultimately determine future success and growth in the sector. Unsustainable all-you-can-eat data plans will evolve to include flexible pricing models based on time-of-day, individual usage patterns, casual usage, application preferences, and location.

It is ultimately the responsibility of mobile operators to introduce these models with quality of service guarantees that are based on users modifying their behaviour. With that will come order from the mobile data chaos.

Innovative service models

Service models are evolving in a data-centric mobile world as a result of massive growth in data throughput. Flat-rate data plans are unsustainable for the heaviest users and innovation inevitable: 

l Speed-rated: These plans offer operators the ability to increase revenue from the heaviest users by placing these subscribers on the most expensive tariffs, implemented through effective policy control on the consumer side.
l Time-based: Telecom Italia Mobile has successfully deployed time-based mobile data plans. The model implements tiered pricing based on the number of minutes a user spends on the data network.
l Bandwidth usage and application specific: Next generation policy control solutions enable operators to implement controls and pricing based on bandwidth usage or specific traffic types. Operators can flexibly charge for heavy bandwidth services such as video or peer-to-peer in real time. SmarTone-Vodafone, for example, is delivering tiered services in Hong Kong based on bandwidth usage and time, as well as applications on-demand using Bridgewater's policy control and subscriber data management capabilities.
l Time of day: Operators in mature markets have seen a clear time-of-day usage pattern emerge for mobile data. Similar to other utilities, they can charge more at peak times according to  network capacity , or conversely, offer consumers incentives to download during  quiet network times.  Underpinned by policy control, dynamic and transparent pricing enables operators to effectively manage peak loads.
l Location-based service models: Traffic patterns over the past two years demonstrate that the most congested cell sites are in urban centres. Implementing charging models based on congestion is commonplace -London's congestion charge zone for example. Could operators implement a similar model on their mobile networks if guaranteed quality of service is the outcome?
l Quality of service models: Guaranteed QoS comes at a cost to operators, especially in mobile networks where bandwidth is necessarily a shared resource. But the emergence of ‘bandwidth boost' models- whereby a user is offered a short-term increase in bandwidth for a set fee for example – provide the opportunity to implement service level agreements.
l Ad-funded solutions:  Mobile advertising is beginning to emerge as a revenue source for operators. With subscriber data privacy concerns now being addressed, mobile advertising could create new revenue streams for the operator, personalized offers for the consumer, and more brand awareness for the advertiser .
l Mobile commerce driven: Japan offers insight into a commerce-driven mobile data market, with an open ecosystem driving adoption and consumer spending on services. Leading mobile Internet players including Yahoo! Japan have developed a viable market for content, services and mobile advertising in partnership with mobile operators.