Mobile Serviceswatch, snapshot of issue 2008.07

17 July 2008

CONSUMER: Vodafone Group is set for a widespread Vodafone live! revamp, having probed the properties of potential rivals to assess what is on offer elsewhere. Telenor joined the growing list of operators supporting Nokia’s Ovi services, across several Northern and Central European markets. Vodacom began offering ‘open’ mobile internet services. [pp.4,9.]

Issue: 2008.07
Covering: 24 June to 14 July 2008
Published: July 2008
Next issue: August 2008

Latest trends in monetising operator-centric mobile value-added services. A unique monthly report for the industry.

Summary
Extract
Table of Contents
Index

SUMMARY

Telefónica announced its global mobile advertising plans, with the international giant set to deploy an integrated solution to serve customers across multiple markets. 3 UK picked Yahoo! as its advertising partner, selling ads for the Planet 3 portal. Vodafone Netherlands began supporting display advertising on Vodafone live!. [pp.3,4.]

Verizon Wireless launched location-based social-networking services, powered by Loopt, while Telstra heralded a service that enables lost mobiles to be found. Belgian operator BASE is to provide raw network data to navigation company TomTom, to strengthen traffic information services based on real user journey times. [pp.4,5.]

Vodafone Spain is supporting “e-signature” certificates issued by the Royal Spanish Mint, providing secure authentication for m-commerce transactions. O2 UK extended its NFC pilot. [pp.6.]

Verizon Wireless launched subscription-based mobile music services in partnership with Rhapsody, although the over-the-air element appears to be omitted; content is instead side-loaded. Vodafone launched several music-oriented profiles on MySpace, to promote its offerings via the social-networking site. [pp.7,8.]

Orange Group integrated several social-networking sites with its Orange World portal, including Bebo and Facebook alongside a raft of tier-two players. T-Mobile UK also incorporated Bebo with its own social-networking application, along with a number of less prominent partners. [pp.12.]

ENTERPRISE: Sprint launched an enterprise mobile email system, offering message delivery to consumer devices, and joining existing products for smartphone users. Vodafone Australia partnered with Cisco and RIM to offer an integrated FMC package, with BlackBerry featuring heavily in the mobile element. [pp.13,14.]

INDUSTRY: Vodacom acquired a 40%-stake in social-networking site Zoopy.com, with Nokia and Microsoft also on the acquisition trail. In the US, an MVNO merger is underway, with Virgin Mobile USA snapping up Helio, while in Europe, youth-oriented, ad-focused MVNO Blyk announced further international expansions. [pp.15,16,17.]

RIM announced strong BlackBerry subscriber growth, with an equally strong future predicted. RIM was also granted a stay in a lawsuit brought by Visto, although the latter trumpeted success in part of a patent re-examination. Consumer mobile email player AxisMobile’s future looks somewhat uncertain, although it has secured some additional funding. [pp.15,18,19.]

SK Telecom partnered with Shanghai Media Group, in a partnership intended to drive each company’s cross-border activities in China and South Korea, respectively. Nokia is eyeing the Indian rural mobile services market, looking to specific market applications to drive sector development. [pp.20.]

Several new members signed up for the Mobile Marketing Association, including a trio of operators, with the body also updating its “best practice” guide for the US market. The GSMA said that European roaming-rate regulation will impact operator capital expenditure, slowing the build-out of next-generation networks. [pp.21,22.]

ENABLERS: A group of operators partnered to enable mobile services to access device technologies without compromising security, working under the umbrella of handset platform alliance OMTP. The GSMA is readying a set of NFC service guidelines for handset makers, enabling the delivery of terminals that meet the needs of multiple operators that are supporting the m-commerce technology. [pp.28.]

The GSMA partnered with the NGMN Alliance to work on next-generation infrastructure development, including addressing commercial and technical issues involved with roaming to existing GSM-family networks. NGMN also announced partnerships with other industry consortia, partnering with device technology group OMTP, the Femto Forum, the UMTS Forum, and the Wireless World Research Forum. [pp.24,25-26.]

There were question marks over the deployment of the Chinese CMMB mobile broadcast technology, after it was revealed that the satellite element included in the specification will be missing at launch. Warner Music Group was the third of the “big four” labels to support Nokia’s Comes With Music service. [pp.26,27.]

TRENDS: Juniper Research forecast that there will be 1.7 billion mobile web users by 2013, spurred by the growth of Web 2.0 applications and increased 3G penetration. However, several studies found negatives with regard to mobile internet take-up, with users in the UK being branded “a rare breed”. [pp.29,30.]

The mobile gaming sector will continue to grow at a robust, if not stellar, pace, according to analysts at Gartner, with several factors combining to drive increases. A sharp increase in m-commerce transaction values is likely by 2013, with increased use of devices to pay for both digital products and physical goods. [pp.31,32.]

EXTRACT

LOCATION-BASED SERVICES

Verizon launches Loopt location-based social service

Verizon Wireless and social-mapping company Loopt announced the launch of what was described as an “interoperable location-based service”, enabling customers who opt-in to be located by other friends and show what they are doing, via detailed interactive maps displayed on a mobile phone.

The announcement was very similar to one made by Verizon Wireless and Loopt during March 2008, again for location-based social-networking services (Mobile Serviceswatch, 2008.04). It appears that the earlier release was more of a statement of intent, while the services are now available, although this was not immediately clear at the time of the first announcement.

Loopt said its service is “100% permission-based” and users share location information only with their known friends. In addition, customers can switch off location-sharing at any time, either on a contact-by-contact basis, or en masse.

Loopt is available via “select” Verizon Wireless phones for $3.99 per month.

” We are on a mission to deliver Loopt to consumers everywhere, and by offering our service to Verizon Wireless customers, we’re significantly closer to achieving that goal. With Loopt, Verizon Wireless customers now have a powerful tool to navigate their mobile lifestyles and easily connect with people and places around them. “ — Sam Altman, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Loopt.

[Further reference: Loopt lets Verizon Wireless customers easily navigate their mobile lifestyles and stay connected to people and places on the go -- Verizon Wireless, 25 June 2008.]

Telstra trumpets location-based service launch

Australian operator Telstra launched Whereis Everyone, a location-based service that “enables family and friends to see each other’s location on maps sent to their Telstra mobile phones”.

To control a user’s privacy, customers must accept an “invitation” to share their location information, meaning that secrecy can be maintained if desired. The operator trumpeted applications that could locate friends or family members, and lost or stolen phones — as long as an initial location request is accepted.

The system can be configured to deliver location information on pre-selected days and times, for example to enable the monitoring of a child’s location when on the way home from school.

The service uses a mix of assisted-GPS (A-GPS) and network-based positioning technology.

Whereis Everyone is free to join, with customers paying for each look-up or alert. Bundles and subscriptions are available for regular users.

[Further reference: Find phones, family or friends with your mobile -- Telstra, 3 July 2008.]

BASE to power TomTom traffic services

Belgian operator BASE partnered with navigation specialist TomTom to power TomTom High Definition Traffic in the country, with the operator providing TomTom with network data that can be used to supply customers with “the most accurate and up-to-date traffic information available”. The service is expected to be available in mid-2009.

TomTom will use anonymous user information aggregated from BASE’s network to track the time taken by users to pass through the road system, combined with data from existing Belgian traffic information services and connected TomTom navigation devices, to offer the best available traffic updates. Users are sent refreshed data every three minutes.

The solution will be available to automotive manufacturers, road authorities, and businesses, as well as consumer users. TomTom High Definition Traffic is already live in the Netherlands, and TomTom has agreements in place with SFR in France, Swisscom, and Vodafone Group in Germany and the UK.

[Further reference: TomTom and BASE sign agreement to bring the world's most advanced traffic information service to Belgium -- TomTom, 3 July 2008.]

2 Consumer
2 Operator content deals
3 Mobile advertising
4 Location-based services
5 Messaging
6 m-commerce
7 Music
8 Portals
12 User-generated content
13 Enterprise
13 Mobile office
14 Solutions
15 Industry
15 Companies
21 Initiatives;
People
22 Regulation
23 enablers
23 Operator technology deals
24 Applications;
Initiatives
25 Products
26 Services
28 Technology
29 Trends
29 Markets
34 INDEX

INDEX

Symbols
3, 28
Australia, 2
Planet 3, 3
UK, 3
A
AdLINK Media, 4
AIS, Thailand, 5
Alcatel-Lucent, 23
Alltel Wireless, US, 16
Amdocs, 21
Amobee Media Systems, 3, 23
Anam, 25
Apax, 15
Apple, 30
Aspiro, 18
Astro All Asia Networks, 22
AT Kearney, 22
AT&T, 11, 21, 28
AxisMobile, 19
B
Bango, 17, 21, 26
BASE, Belgium, 5
Bebo, 10, 12
BlackPlanet, 12
Blyk, 17
BMW, 3
Buongiorno, 19, 20
Buzzwire, 11
Bytemobile, 26

C
Cable & Wireless, 13
Celltick, 23
China Mobile, 20
China Unicom, 20
Cisco Systems, 14
Comverse Technology, 21
Cosmofon, Macedonia, 16
Cosmote, Greece, 16
Credit Agricole Private Equity, 15
Critical Path, 25
CSL, Hong Kong, 10
D
DailyMotion, 12
DTAC, Thailand, 5
E
EchoStar, 26
Echovox, 21
EMI, 27
Emitac Mobile Solutions, 13
Ericsson, 4
European Payments Council, 28
European Union, 22
EC, 15
F
Facebook, 10, 11, 12
Femto Forum, 25, 26
Flirtomatic, 12
France Telecom
Orange, 2, 7, 8, 12, 15
FreemantleMedia, 2
Frost & Sullivan, 29
G
Gartner, 31
Google, 4, 8, 10, 16
Google Maps, 16
YouTube, 10, 11, 16
GSM Association, 21, 22, 24, 25, 28
Pay-Buy-Mobile, 28

H
HarbourVest Partners, 16
Heineken, 3
Helio, US, 16
I
IBM, 13
Lotus, 13
IMP Media, 8
Intel Capital, 15
Intercasting, 12, 23
IODA, 2
Ipsos MORI, 30
J
Juice Wireless, 11
Juniper Research, 29, 32
L
Lavazza, 3
LG Electronics, 13
LiveJournal, 12
Loopt, 4
M
MADS, 4
Meetic, 12
Mercedes, 3
Microsoft, 8, 13, 17, 21
Windows Live, 17, 23
Miyowa, 15, 21
MMetrics, 32
Mobicom, Mongolia, 23
MobiComp, 17, 23
Mobile Content Networks, 5
Mobile Data Association, 17
Mobile Interactive Group, 21
Mobile Marketing Association, 21
Mobile TeleSystems, 3
Mobistar, Belgium, 17
Mobixell Networks, 15
Motorola, 13, 30
Movius Interactive, 25
MTS, Russia, 3, 12
MySpace, 8, 12, 16
N
NAVTEQ, 15
Nawras, Oman, 6, 13
NeuStar, 23, 25
News Corporation
MySpace, 8, 12, 16
NGMN Ltd, 24, 25, 26
Nielsen Mobile, 30
Nike, 3
Nokia, 3, 8, 9, 15, 17, 18, 20, 24, 27, 30
Comes With Music, 27
Forum Nokia, 24
N-Gage, 9
Nokia Music Store, 27
Ovi, 9
Twango, 18
WidSets, 24
NTT DoCoMo, 13
O
OMTP, 25, 28
BONDI, 28
Openwave Systems, 16
Opplysningen 1881, 18
Optimus, Portugal, 17, 23
Orange Group, 2, 7, 8, 12, 15
Belgium, 17
Orange World, 8, 12
Poland, 2
UK, 8
Ovum, 18
P
Piczo, 12
Pikeo, 12
Pioneer Consulting, 33
Playphone, 2
Plazes, 18
Point Topic, 30
Q
Qtel, Qatar, 5, 6

R
Rabble, 12
RealNetworks, 7
Regions
Americas, 3, 13, 16, 19, 29
Argentina, 21
Caribbean, 13
Colombia, 3
Mexico, 3
North America, 13, 16, 31, 32
US, 2, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 23, 26, 30, 32
APAC, 15, 16, 20, 22, 23, 31, 32
Asia Pacific, 31
Australia, 2, 5, 14, 23, 27, 29
China, 20, 26, 29
Hong Kong, 10
India, 20, 30
Indonesia, 30
Japan, 2, 13, 31, 32
New Zealand, 10, 30
Philippines, 5
Singapore, 23, 27
South Korea, 20
Thailand, 5
EMEA
Africa, 2, 16, 26
Austria, 16
Belgium, 5, 17
Czech Republic, 3
Denmark, 9, 23
Egypt, 6
Finland, 27
France, 5, 12, 27
Germany, 5, 8, 17, 18, 25, 27
Greece, 3
Hungary, 9
Ireland, 27
Italy, 3, 8, 27, 30
Middle East, 13, 16
Netherlands, 4, 5, 17, 27
Norway, 9, 18
Poland, 2
Portugal, 2, 8, 12, 17, 23
Russia, 3, 12, 23, 30
South Africa, 2, 9, 15, 26
Spain, 3, 6, 8, 12, 17
Sweden, 9, 27
Switzerland, 12, 28
Turkey, 23
UK, 3, 5, 6, 8, 12, 16, 17, 23, 27, 30
Research In Motion, 13, 14, 15, 18
BlackBerry, 13, 14, 15, 18, 30
Rhythm NewMedia, 8
Royal Spanish Mint, 6
Rubberduck Media Lab, 18, 23
S
Samsung, 13
Sanyo, 13
SEVEN, 13, 23
SFR, France, 5
Shanghai Media Group, 20
Dragon New Media, 20
SingTel, Singapore, 16
SK Telecom, 16, 20
ViaTech, 20
Skyrock, 12
smac partners, 15
Smart Communications, Philippines, 5
Sonofon, Denmark, 23
Sony, 22, 27
Sony Pictures Entertainment, 22
Sony BMG, 27
Sprint, 13, 16, 19, 23
Mobile Email Work, 13, 23
StarHub, Singapore, 22, 23
Streamezzo, 23
Swisscom, 5, 15

T
Techfund, 15
Technology
BONDI, 28
CMMB, 26
DRM, 7
Femtocells, 25, 26
GPS, 5, 16
HSPA, 24, 25
IM, 5, 15, 23, 25, 29
IP, 14
LTE, 24, 25
NFC, 6, 28
WCDMA, 24
Wi-Fi, 14, 33
WiMAX, 25, 33
Telecom Italia, 28
Telecom Personal, Argentina, 21
Telefónica, 2, 3, 6, 15, 21, 23, 28
O2, 6, 15, 16, 21
O2 UK, 6, 16, 21
Telenor, 9, 28
Telstra, 5, 10, 23
TIM, 21
TMN, Portugal, 17
T-Mobile International, 12, 16, 23, 28
Austria, 16
UK, 12, 23
TomTom, 5
Trade Me, 10
TrueMove, Thailand, 5
Turkcell, 23
Twitter, 11
TynTec, 16
U
UMTS Forum, 25, 26
Universal Music, 27

V
Velti, 3, 16
Verizon Wireless, 4, 7, 13, 16, 21
V CAST, 7
Vex, 12
Viacom
MTV Networks, 2, 7, 21
Nickelodeon, 2
VimpelCom, Russia, 23
Virgin Mobile, 2, 16
USA, 2, 16
Visto, 18
Vivendi Universal
Universal Music, 27
Vodacom, 2, 9, 15
Vodafone Group, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 28, 29
Australia, 14, 29
Italy, 3
live!, 8
Netherlands, 4
New Zealand, 10
Portugal, 2, 8
Spain, 6
Vodafone Business One, 14
Vodafone live!, 4, 8, 10
Volantis, 23
W
Warner Bros
Warner Music, 27
Wikipedia, 10
Wireless World Research Forum, 26
X
Xanga, 12
Y
Yahoo!, 3, 10
Flickr, 11
Mobile Auctions, 10
oneSearch, 10
YouTube, 10, 11, 16
Z
Zain Group, 23
Kuwait, 23
Zoopy.com, 15

Written by AB · Filed Under KnowMobile

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Mobile Serviceswatch, snapshot of issue 2008.07

SUMMARY