Let's get messaging
20 December 2007
What is available today and enhances the mobile internet experience whilst driving additional data revenues? The answer is staring operators in the face. Carriers looking to profit from the mobile internet need to focus on enhancing existing internet applications through integrated multimedia messaging capabilities.
The changing internet landscape, where ideas, photos, music and videos are all shared through Web 2.0 services, means that successful mobile content strategies must now go beyond simply overcoming the limitations of the device form factor.
Messaging could become the driving force behind a truly interactive mobile experience. The inherent advantage of SMS or MMS as the channel for interactivity is in the rapid and easy adaptation of existing technologies to leverage these services. This is undoubtedly a commercially attractive concept for operators looking to increase data revenues by exploiting existing infrastructure.
Integration
Integrated mobile internet functionality will be a significant revenue generator for operators willing to forge relationships with content providers. Web 2.0 brands have already been mobilised through operator portals. However, revenue generating enhancements, designed specifically for the mobile user, such as location-based SMS alerts are possible. Moreover, there is huge potential for SMS to integrate into online auctions, blogging and RSS.
In this changing environment MMS is currently being under-exploited by operators. Low early-adopter traction of MMS may have been disappointing but there is now clear consumer demand for sharing multimedia video, audio and pictures across multiple platforms. This much is evidenced by the increasing popularity of websites such as YouTube together with the proliferation of multimedia-capable devices. Such a holistic approach to mobile data services creates additional revenue opportunities for the operator by moving beyond merely mobilising internet content.
New business models
This holistic approach plays into recent changes to operator content and pricing strategies in mature markets. Walled gardens have largely been replaced by an open mobile web and far more transparent pricing for mobile data.
In the future, operator revenues will come directly from the customer through the use of mobile internet services and also from Web 2.0 brands that are keen to increase interaction with their users by mobilising their offerings. Messaging enables operators to add value to this open mobile internet experience.
The mobile is the world’s largest media channel with more than three billion live connections and counting. But operators are missing a powerful opportunity by continuing to view messaging as a standalone function. In addition to driving data revenue, integrated services will enable carriers to build a clearer picture of their subscriber preferences and behaviours.
The operator’s role in developing the mobile internet should not be underestimated. Talk of operators being reduced to a dumb bit pipe is premature when they have the opportunity to remain at the heart of the continued growth of the mobile web - becoming a truly smart pipe through the adoption of integrated data services.