Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : Nokia (NOK) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Eric L who wrote (8880)	1/20/2001 4:17:27 PM
From: Eric L	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 34857

Part 2 of GSMA January 2000 AP Workshop - T-Mobil's view of Application Design as reported by: Ben Wood Mobile Lifestreams 15 January 2001 >> GSM Technology and its Role in Application Design and Creation Stephan Keuneke T-Mobil 3rd Party Business and Application Development This speaker continued a theme already voiced in earlier presentations by once again stating that services would play a key role for operators providing new revenues as ARPU (Average Revenue per user) declines in their core business of voice traffic. Operators need to add value to their transport network by exploiting areas such as: * Authentication * Location * Profiles * Encryption The issue in the market today is that no-one knows which are the specific applications that the customers want to use and how much revenue they will derive. Niche markets cannot be ignored as it is likely that they could either can grow into mass market opportunities (e.g. Cartoon download on I-mode) or the fact that "sum of the whole could be greater than the individual parts" i.e. - Multiple niche applications could ultimately become a very strong source of revenue. The Internet is compelling as it gives freedom for entrepreneurs to launch whatever services they want without having to get the permission of the ISP (operator) - the Wireless community needs to learn from this and in turn they need to nurture the Application Provider community by providing open standardised interfaces. The key question in this area is what does the industry need to do to accomplish this and give Application Providers the tools to deliver services? The speaker went on to identify a few of the key technologies that will be enablers for the mobile applications industry: XML: (the superset of WML, XHTML etc.) XML is a major enabler for whole of Internet business. XML separates content structure from content allowing content exchange and content rendering / presentation on any platform - e.g. emboldening text. XML will be a key language as it allows content exchange between the content provider and Wireless Application Service Provider (WASP). WASPs can then present content based on delivery (text, speech etc.) and device (fonts, screen size, colour etc.) 3GPP - OSA (Open Services Architecture) The OSA provides an interface (API) to network elements allowing Applications Providers the ability to create solutions using networks services such as location, billing, Call Control etc. as well as giving mediated access to service capabilities such as HLR, CAMEL Service, WAP etc. To date, access to these services is predominantly restricted to the network operators themselves, as they cannot afford to have third parties accessing network elements that are so critical to the day to day running of a network – the OSA adds a "front-end" interface with open APIs to allow Applications Providers to exploit these network elements in a controlled manner. In addition the OSA offers a framework function, providing authentication for applications and giving information on the capabilities of the networks which are required for individual applications (particularly for a roaming customer) - e.g. does the network support location services etc. Currently OSA is still only a "piece of paper" and needs to be implemented to help applications developers interface to networks and the GSMA and individual infrastructure players need to work together to deliver a common solution that will address the requirements of the Applications Providers. WAP: WML is likely to become obsolete with 3G but the gateway function of WAP will provide a vehicle to overcome the natural deficiencies of the radio environment and limitations of certain handsets. Research has shown that TCP is not the best way of communicating on a Wireless network (incidentally NTT, Japan are researching how it could be optimised) so WAP provides the vehicle to deliver services over the air. Who will offer applications? Traditionally Operators bought network infrastructure and services were bundled in as part of the range of supplementary services (as defined by ESTI). Although there are some 3rd parties developing services for SMS this still depends on the operators for access to the SMS-C. GPRS is set to change this as it provides packet-based access directly to the Internet. Internet content can be tailored for mobile use making delivery easier, but there is still the barrier for Applications Providers as it is virtually impossible to gain access to call control, location, billing etc. (OSA may resolve this but it is still a long way from being a reality). Once again this view supports the need for standardized APIs so the "missing" elements can be accessed. This decision is ultimately up to the operators whether such APIs are available but they will come under increasing pressure from end users to allow access to a wider range of services rather than a walled garden approach. The issue is that many of the Internet companies are much better at delivering services than the network operators - e.g. their implementation of MMI (man-machine interface), and should be given the opportunity to deliver solutions to mobile users. The other area that needs to be addressed is the business model associated with these new services - in particular revenue share and currently GSM network operators seem reticent to enter into such a business relationship, unlike NTT DoCoMo who take only 9% of the revenue for themselves. << - Eric -

To: Eric L who wrote (8880)	1/20/2001 10:08:12 PM
From: quartersawyer	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 34857

^^Korea, China (China Unicom) etc. have now chosen to go for W-CDMA (this decision differs from previous intentions to use other standards).^^ Part-truth. Unicom is (oxymoronically) definitely up in the air for new networks. Eric, isn't it maybe time for the GSMA to allow at least some hint of a possibility of interoperability with modes other than those in "The GSM World"? Do you expect Nokia, NEC, or anyone other than Qualcomm to develop a useable 3GSM chip by 2002? Can you divine any likelihood of litigation of CDMA IPR?