OMA - Open Mobile Architecture Initiative (OMAI) FAQ
Updated February 19, 2002
New supporters this week are Openwave, Alcatel, & AU-System.
30 companies v. Microsoft/Intel
1. What is an open mobile architecture?
A: An open mobile architecture consists of standards based on common interfaces and technology enablers used by every company in the mobile telecommunications industry. It focuses on the interoperability of mobile services across terminals, operators and markets.
2. How did the Open Mobile Architecture initiative get started?
A: The companies behind this announcement are committed to taking the entire mobile industry forward to the next phase of innovation. We will do this by making sure that an open and global services market is created. This requires a broad dialogue and cooperation among the key industry players. There is a clear consensus among the leaders of the mobile industry that the biggest obstacle to success would be the fragmentation of the services market through proprietary technology implementations.
The announcement by eighteen industry-leading companies in November 2001 marked the start of the Open Mobile Architecture initiative and started a process to define and implement the open technical enablers for mobile services.
3. What is the driving force of the Open Mobile Architecture initiative?
A: The aim of the Open Mobile Architecture initiative is to work jointly to enable mobile subscribers to use interoperable mobile services across markets, operators and mobile terminals.
4. Which companies have endorsed of the Open Mobile Architecture initiative?
A: In the initial announcement in November 2001 18 companies committed to products and services based on open mobile architecture enablers:
AT&T Wireless Fujitsu Samsung
Cingular Wireless Matsushita Sharp
MM02 Mitsubishi Siemens
NTT DoCoMo Motorola Sony Ericsson
Telefonica Moviles NEC Toshiba
Vodafone Nokia Symbian
In December 2001 6 leading IT infrastructure and application server vendors, announced their support for the Open Mobile Architecture initiative to drive the mobile software and services market:
BEA Systems IBM
Borland Software Oracle
Hewlett-Packard Sun Microsystems
Since then 6 additional companies have endorsed and announced support of the initiative:
China Mobile Alcatel
Texas Instruments Openwave
ST Microelectronics AU-System
All companies that share this vision of open technical architecture and technology to enable mobile services are invited to join the initiative.
5. What are the tangible things to validate this initiative?
A: Today, you can call from any phone to any other phone in the world. In the future, we want to make sure that advanced future mobile services will work from any terminal to any terminal in such a seamless way, too.
The world is becoming a more complex place, and it is no longer sufficient to have a standardized radio network, messaging centers and gateways. Going beyond the traditional telecom sphere, a lot of components in the so called "middleware" area need to be standardized through an open process, to prevent services from fragmenting as a result of individual service platform implementations. When you see the OMA participants implementing to these open standards in their products, that will be the tangible result from this initiative.
6. Which key enabling technologies are the priorities in the Open Mobile Architecture co-operation?
A: The key enabling technologies will be decided jointly by the companies involved in the initiative.
It is evident that Multimedia Messaging (MMS), Java and WAP/XHTML browsing are among the most relevant ones.
Some other technologies driving the mobile services market include Digital Rights Management (DRM), authentication and SyncML. In addition to these, open mobile operating systems form a solid basis for the creation of advanced mobile terminals.
7. Based on these technologies, what kinds of new features will there be in mobile devices?
A: Open application environments, such as Java, WAP2.0/XHTML and MMS, enable a broad array of new features that can benefit the customer. A mobile phone becomes a platform for all kinds of services; imagination is the only limit!
8. What is the scope of the Open Mobile Architecture initiative?
A:The scope of this industry initiative encompasses identifying, endorsing and implementing service enablers. Additionally OMA System Architecture identifies open interfaces. This will enable companies to implement interoperable products and services. In an open system, all parties will benefit - as all rivals have an equal starting point, there is room for innovation and true state-of-the-art offerings.
9. What does the Open Mobile Architecture initiative NOT cover?
A. The Open Mobile Architecture initiative is not a new standards body and also not an initiative that will develop specifications. Rather, we'll work within the existing standards bodies to identify, endorse, and implement to open standards and technologies.
10. What are the focus areas of the Open Mobile Architecture initiative?
A: The Open Mobile Architecture initiative focuses on four key areas: Application development environment, interfaces, terminal architecture and service platform architecture. Each of these areas is based on well-accepted open specifications and standards. However, as some technology enablers are still being developed, further specification work is needed to ensure interoperability.
11. What are the objectives of the Open Mobile Architecture initiative?
A: The OMA objectives are:
* Working within existing standards bodies to create a non-fragmented, interoperable global market for the next generation of mobile services by identifying, endorsing and implementing open standards
* Identify new mobile technologies and standards that are currently not supported by existing forums and map them to the appropriate standards and/or interoperability testing (IOT) body
12. How do you define openness?
A: When interfaces are open and specified, all players can develop their software applications and participate in contributing to the specifications.
Open interfaces are not owned or controlled by any one entity. In addition, open interfaces ensure that users can largely determine the services and software that are installed in their mobile phones.
Java technology is a great example of an open development environment as standardized through the Java Community Process (JCP).
13. Does the initiative mean that the participating companies will start offering their software as source code products?
A: That is not the primary purpose of OMA. However, each company can answer this question only on their own behalf. It should be noted that licensing software products as source code is a common practice in the infrastructure business, in order to ease compatibility. Source code is not the most crucial topic, open standards are.
14. Don't we already have enough initiatives in this world?
A: The OMA initiative hopes to simplify, not complicate, the existing standards efforts by working with existing or newly formed standards bodies to help ensure open standards are truly implemented in a variety of products to achieve a seamless and interoperable offering for consumers. We also believe that this initiative will significantly contribute to the creation of industry standards for middleware and also result in tangible products and solutions.
15. What are the specific advantages from this initiative?
A: Today, you can call from any phone to any other phone in the world. In the future, we want to make sure that advance future mobile services will work from any terminal to any terminal in such a seamless way, too.
The Open Mobile Architecture initiative will enable the take-off of non-fragmented mobile services in a balanced business ecosystem, which establishes beneficial positions for all players in the existing and emerging value chains.
16. What are the plans for the expansion of the initiative?
A: Additional supporters and elements of the Open Mobile Architecture initiative will be unveiled during the next months. We welcome all companies, who share our vision, to join this initiative.
17. How can a company join the Open Mobile Architecture initiative?
A: By agreeing with the charter and then contacting a participating company.
18. Who are the next players you expect to commit to an open mobile architecture?
A: As we have said, the door remains open for companies who share our vision for an open mobile architecture. Stay tuned for more announcements!
19. What is the relationship and position of the Open Mobile Architecture initiative to other standardization bodies?
A: The Open Mobile Architecture initiative is not a standardization body. Instead, the initiative will support standardisation and specification work of forums such as 3GPP, WAP Forum, JCP , IETF and so on. The initiative is not competing with the existing standards but, rather, completing them to focus on interoperability of services accross markets, accross terminals and accross operators.
20. What are the competing initiatives?
A: There is no other initiative of this nature, the scope and the level of consent is unforeseen. We regard this as a major turning point in the development of our industry.
21. What are the benefits to the consumer?
A: After the companies have implemented the interoperable service enablers, consumers will receive wide variety of the mobile services that are interoperable across operators, different terminals and countries.
22. There are several different types of companies endorsing their support to the initiative such as IT vendors and operators. What are the benefits from the Open Mobile Architecture initiative to these players?
A: Mobile Operators
- create downloadable applications and content cost-effectively, increasing Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) while increasing customer loyalty: the operator becomes a preferred provider for personal identity and preferences and for storage of user created content
- add customisable applications into the terminal, and operator-specific bookmarks into the mobile browser
- define a default style sheet on all devices, which will ensure a consistent look and feel for all terminals, while maintaining interoperability
- invest with the confidence that, due to open standards, solutions will not be overtaken by proprietary alternatives choose from a wide range of technology providers, with no need to rely on one vendor
B. Application and Content Developers
- design applications that can be used on a number of different networks
aim for a larger market and, thus, increase potential revenues
- decrease application development cost as the market will be accessible through open and standards-based key technologies
C. IT Infrastructure Suppliers
- enable mobile value added to current service infrastructure solutions
maximise the number of potential developers through uniform mobile API for application development
- achieve shorter sales and delivery cycles to operators and xSPs as customisation needs decrease with the uniform mobile API
- leverage Internet application and execution environment investment in the mobile domain
D. Terminal Vendors
- ensure interoperability with various vendor's networks and servers
- ensure interoperability with other vendor's terminals
- utilise more services built upon the agreed enabling technologies and open standards
- differentiate on terminal design and features while maintaining a core set of interoperable applications
- save time and cost on R&D <<
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- Eric - |
