Post from IR,
Copied from Yahoo board.
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LONG reply from IR today...
by: bxstrjohn (29/M/Atlanta, GA) 04/01/02 08:13 pm
Msg: 369094 of 369332
SMS interop in the US is a positive step, as it will get subscribers used to using their mobile devices for data services. However, future wireless messaging solutions will not be solely based on SMS or WAP or IM. In the US, where users already have established IM and email accounts, consumers will demand access to their existing accounts over PCs and mobile devices. This access can be provided over a variety of protocols including SMS, WAP, HTML, BREW, etc... As a result, a completely new communications medium like SMS p2p messaging will probably not be as widely accepted here as it was in Europe.
Messaging solutions will need to be device independent and tied together by a multimodal messaging platform that enables the user to seamlessly communicate over a variety of protocols to a variety devices in a way that makes sense. We believe we are well positioned to provide this overarching messaging platform to carriers. In some cases, we will use our own interop product for the delivery of SMS messages between carriers. In others, depending on the preferences of our carrier partners, we may integrate a third party provider (e.g. InphoMatch) into our platform to serve a particular function. InfoSpace's messaging applications will be carefully architected to seamlessly work together through our platform to offer a very compelling multimodal messaging solution to carriers.
What we've seen is that carriers have elected to build out interoperability themselves, which we feel is a very positive step for the industry for the reasons stated above. InfoSpace offers a cost effective means to establish interoperability, but we've always felt that large investments in the infrastructure to establish direct interop would come eventually, just not quite this early.
That said, wireless messaging in the US will not mirror the European model. In the US, where users already have established IM and email accounts, consumers will demand access to their existing accounts over PCs and mobile devices. We do not believe that InphoMatch supports other standard protocols such as WAP or IM or HTML or J2ME or BREW. We believe we are well positioned to provide this overarching messaging platform to carriers.
On the voice front, InfoSpace is not focused on being a 'voice portal', instead we look at ways we can speech enable applications to make them more useful. One of these implementations is speech activated alerts whereby a user can activate an alert, such as a stock quote price or weather, by using their voice. In addition, we are working with carriers on our voice activated dialing feature so users can activate their phone books using their voice. These are just some of the ways we are looking to use our speech technology.
There are lots of players up and down the food chain of the wireless industry. While we remain focused in three main areas: messaging, content applications and tools, there will be many who will cover the spaces we choose not to cover. We continue to build and strengthen our relationships with carriers as is evidenced by three agreements that were renewed with Cingular, Alltel and KPN and new deals such as the one with ISUCELL, Mexico's second largest carrier. |
