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The industry is changing rapidly as users throughout the mobile service segment are demanding richer content and innovative applications on a number of different devices. The information they want must be delivered on any device at anytime and anywhere or the service provider runs the risk of chasing a customer to the nearest competitor.
To improve the delivery of service, which is a priority for any service provider expecting to thrive in a tight market, they must leverage application enablers. This is to ensure they can keep up with the current demand, deliver the solutions the consumer today wants, and create new and innovative solutions that will meet the demand over the long-term.
In reality, enabling applications and content-based services must go hand-in-hand to help drive the evolution of mobile communications – or at least enjoy the ride. The value chains today are changing and the business structure of relationships and fees still rely on billing and business support systems, while communication service providers are increasingly relying on flexible and adaptable processes to become the tools necessary to create opportunities.
Interestingly, connectivity seems to pervade the daily life of millions of people in a wide variety of ways, yet the explicit use of communications services is not necessarily a part of the experience for everyone. Communications services are increasingly used as a feature of applications or services is a growing trend.
One area of focus for service providers is to allow the enterprise to link employees to corporate IT resources through applications for things like health care, transportation and manufacturing that will require innovative enablers to separate the experience from that of the consumer. This evolutionary change is driving changes within the service provider’s environment and application enablers help to develop the solutions necessary.
Mobility and communications continue to evolve and as a result, the service provider must continue to work with new business models until the right fit is found. The business plan is better defined if the service provider can identify a core commitment to network technology, applications and technology expertise. As a result, they will be better prepared to develop the right structure for next-generation services that provide subscribers with measurable value.
For all service providers, there is significant opportunity in applications. The key will be in finding the right platform to develop the applications, work with a partner or simply leverage current opportunities to drive sales. In the end, the customer will have access to the services he or she wants and the service provider will enjoy a strong performance.
