Application Enablement
Encyclopedia
Application enablement is an approach which brings telecommunications network providers and developers together to combine their network
and web abilities in creating and delivering high demand advanced services
and new intelligent applications.
Network providers, in addition to bandwidth
, provide abilities such as billing
, location
, presence
, and security
, which have allowed them to establish long-term relationships with end-users. By offering these select abilities as application programming interfaces (APIs), providers give developers access to a set of tools to create (mashup
) new applications and services to run on provider networks. Unifying the strengths of providers and developers facilitates the creation of mash-up applications, and in turn, a better end user quality of experience
(QoE) for improved profit margins.
Apple’s iOS with App Store, and Google
's Android with Android Market
exemplify this approach. Both have introduced mobile platforms that are supported by a comprehensive ecosystem in order to perpetuate innovation in product design, content and service offerings, and overall consumer behavior. By the end of April 2010, downloadable applications numbered over 200,000 for iPhone and over 50,000 for Android.
, availability and quality of service
(QoS) to generate revenue and establish customer value. With the evolution of network and web abilities, consumer demand for bandwidth intensive data and video applications has exploded, requiring significant investment by network providers if they are to maintain current levels of service continuity. To fully leverage such investments, and offset rising operating costs and declining average revenue per user
(ARPU) levels, providers must deliver a customer-focused experience and adopt new business models that will broaden revenue opportunities and expand their position in the Telecommunications value chain.
Application enablement supports providers in making this transition by providing an environment, or ecosystem
, where providers and developers can collaborate to build, test, manage, and distribute applications across networks including television
, broadband, Internet
, and mobile
. This cooperative effort produces mutually beneficial results for all parties, opening up new revenue streams while enhancing value and rate of return
(ROI).
The following are some examples of key network abilities which function as application enablers in the telecommunications market:
Telecommunications network
A telecommunications network is a collection of terminals, links and nodes which connect together to enable telecommunication between users of the terminals. Networks may use circuit switching or message switching. Each terminal in the network must have a unique address so messages or connections...
and web abilities in creating and delivering high demand advanced services
Value-added service
A value-added service is popular as a telecommunications industry term for non-core services, or in short, all services beyond standard voice calls and fax transmissions. However, it can be used in any service industry, for services available at little or no cost, to promote their primary business...
and new intelligent applications.
Network providers, in addition to bandwidth
Bandwidth (computing)
In computer networking and computer science, bandwidth, network bandwidth, data bandwidth, or digital bandwidth is a measure of available or consumed data communication resources expressed in bits/second or multiples of it .Note that in textbooks on wireless communications, modem data transmission,...
, provide abilities such as billing
Mobile Payment
Mobile financial services, also referred to as mobile money, mobile payment, mobile banking, mobile money transfer and mobile wallet generally refer to payment services operated under financial regulation and performed from or via a mobile device....
, location
Location-based service
A Location-Based Service is an information or entertainment service, accessible with mobile devices through the mobile network and utilizing the ability to make use of the geographical position of the mobile device....
, presence
Presence service
Presence service is a network service which accepts, stores and distributes presence information.Presence service may be implemented as a single server or have an internal structure involving multiple servers and proxies. There may be complex patterns of redirection and proxying while retaining...
, and security
Digital security
'Digital Security' gives individuals the freedom to embrace the digital lifestyle – to confidently engage in everyday interactions across all digital devices...
, which have allowed them to establish long-term relationships with end-users. By offering these select abilities as application programming interfaces (APIs), providers give developers access to a set of tools to create (mashup
Mashup (web application hybrid)
In Web development, a mashup is a Web page or application that uses and combines data, presentation or functionality from two or more sources to create new services...
) new applications and services to run on provider networks. Unifying the strengths of providers and developers facilitates the creation of mash-up applications, and in turn, a better end user quality of experience
Quality of experience
Quality of experience , some times also known as quality of user experience, is a subjective measure of a customer's experiences with a service...
(QoE) for improved profit margins.
Apple’s iOS with App Store, and Google
Google
Google Inc. is an American multinational public corporation invested in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies. Google hosts and develops a number of Internet-based services and products, and generates profit primarily from advertising through its AdWords program...
's Android with Android Market
Android Market
Android Market is an online software store developed by Google for Android OS devices. Its gateway is an application program called "Market", preinstalled on most Android devices, allows users to browse and download mobile apps published by third-party developers...
exemplify this approach. Both have introduced mobile platforms that are supported by a comprehensive ecosystem in order to perpetuate innovation in product design, content and service offerings, and overall consumer behavior. By the end of April 2010, downloadable applications numbered over 200,000 for iPhone and over 50,000 for Android.
Background
Historically, telecommunication network providers have focused on the network in their business approach, relying almost exclusively on their network abilities for connectivityThroughput
In communication networks, such as Ethernet or packet radio, throughput or network throughput is the average rate of successful message delivery over a communication channel. This data may be delivered over a physical or logical link, or pass through a certain network node...
, availability and quality of service
Quality of service
The quality of service refers to several related aspects of telephony and computer networks that allow the transport of traffic with special requirements...
(QoS) to generate revenue and establish customer value. With the evolution of network and web abilities, consumer demand for bandwidth intensive data and video applications has exploded, requiring significant investment by network providers if they are to maintain current levels of service continuity. To fully leverage such investments, and offset rising operating costs and declining average revenue per user
Average revenue per user
Average revenue per user usually abbreviated to ARPU is a measure used primarily by consumer communications and networking companies, defined as the total revenue divided by the number of subscribers....
(ARPU) levels, providers must deliver a customer-focused experience and adopt new business models that will broaden revenue opportunities and expand their position in the Telecommunications value chain.
Application enablement supports providers in making this transition by providing an environment, or ecosystem
Sandbox (software development)
A sandbox is a testing environment that isolates untested code changes and outright experimentation from the production environment or repository, in the context of software development including Web development and revision control...
, where providers and developers can collaborate to build, test, manage, and distribute applications across networks including television
Television network
A television network is a telecommunications network for distribution of television program content, whereby a central operation provides programming to many television stations or pay TV providers. Until the mid-1980s, television programming in most countries of the world was dominated by a small...
, broadband, Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
, and mobile
Cellular network
A cellular network is a radio network distributed over land areas called cells, each served by at least one fixed-location transceiver known as a cell site or base station. When joined together these cells provide radio coverage over a wide geographic area...
. This cooperative effort produces mutually beneficial results for all parties, opening up new revenue streams while enhancing value and rate of return
Rate of return
In finance, rate of return , also known as return on investment , rate of profit or sometimes just return, is the ratio of money gained or lost on an investment relative to the amount of money invested. The amount of money gained or lost may be referred to as interest, profit/loss, gain/loss, or...
(ROI).
The following are some examples of key network abilities which function as application enablers in the telecommunications market:
- Billing systemsMobile PaymentMobile financial services, also referred to as mobile money, mobile payment, mobile banking, mobile money transfer and mobile wallet generally refer to payment services operated under financial regulation and performed from or via a mobile device....
- Security for private transactionsDigital security'Digital Security' gives individuals the freedom to embrace the digital lifestyle – to confidently engage in everyday interactions across all digital devices...
- Network-based storage of digital content
- End-to-end bandwidthBandwidth managementBandwidth management is the process of measuring and controlling the communications on a network link, to avoid filling the link to capacity or overfilling the link, which would result in network congestion and poor performance of the network.- Management :Bandwidth management mechanisms may be...
for high-quality transmissions - Scoring abilities to identify end-user preferences and behaviors
- Subscriber dataCustomer Proprietary Network InformationCustomer proprietary network information is the data collected by telecommunications companies about a consumer's telephone calls. It includes the time, date, duration and destination number of each call, the type of network a consumer subscribes to, and any other information that appears on the...
to customize the end-user experience - Context information, such as location and presencePresence servicePresence service is a network service which accepts, stores and distributes presence information.Presence service may be implemented as a single server or have an internal structure involving multiple servers and proxies. There may be complex patterns of redirection and proxying while retaining...
, to localize services.
New business models
As network providers work toward effective collaboration with application and content developers, several new business models are emerging to help facilitate the business relationships:Vendor-led
- A type of business model driven by telecommunications vendors, who assist network providers in building relationships with application and content developers to lower the cost and complexity of managing third parties. Examples of this model include:
Operator-led
- Characterized by network providers who want to maintain a high degree of flexibility and control over applications created for their end-consumers, this model lets them create and manage their own developer program, development platformMobile developmentMobile application development is the process by which application software is developed for small low-power handheld devices such as personal digital assistants, enterprise digital assistants or mobile phones...
, and application store.
- Under this arrangement, independent developers provide their own branding, marketing communications, pricing and customer care. Network providers pursuing this model will often seek to partner with a large number of third parties using standardized on-boarding processes. Examples of this model include:
- o2 LitmusMob4HireMob4Hire is a privately held Canadian Web 2.0 company that focuses on crowd sourced mobile application testing services and market research in the global wireless telephony space....
- Orange Partner
- Joint Innovations LabJoint innovation lab- Joint Innovation Lab, JIL :JIL is a joint venture between Vodafone, Verizon Wireless, China Mobile and SoftBank Mobile. It's backed up by handset makers LG Electronics, Research In Motion, Samsung Electronics and Sharp....
- o2 Litmus
Aggregator
- Network providers who choose not to create/manage their own developer relationships will partner with one or multiple aggregators, to administer a portion of or their entire application strategy. Examples of this model include:
- Ovi Operator PartnershipOvi (Nokia)Ovi by Nokia is the brand for Nokia's Internet services. The Ovi services can be used from a mobile device, computer or via the web. Nokia focuses on five key service areas: Games, Maps, Media, Messaging and Music. Nokia's aim with Ovi is to include third party developers, such as operators and...
- Blackberry Operator Partnership
- CellmaniaSagem WirelessSagem Wireless was a multinational communications corporation that is headquartered in Paris, France. Sagem Wireless was engaged in the designing and manufacturing of customised connected lifestyle devices and services for mobile network operators and global consumer brands...
- BuongiornoBuongiornoBuongiorno is an Italian company that provides content for mobile phones. also known as Good morning.In 2006 the group Buongiorno delivered almost 1.4 billion "digital objects" to over 60 million end users In 2007, Buongiorno acquired South African mobile content provider...
- Ovi Operator Partnership
Mass wholesale
- Select network providers also participate in wholesale models that exist primarily for applications (BT’s RibbitRibbit (telecommunications company)Ribbit is a telecommunications company based in Mountain View, California. It was acquired by BT Group on 2008-07-29 for $105 million.On August 10, 2011, Ribbit announced it was closing most of its external-facing operations and developer program within a couple of months.The company’s goal is to...
- an Internet ProtocolInternet ProtocolThe Internet Protocol is the principal communications protocol used for relaying datagrams across an internetwork using the Internet Protocol Suite...
(IP) based calling and messaging platform) and devices (Verizon’s Open Device initiative). This business-to-business approach reduces a large portion of the potential costs of third party application enablement (marketing, acquisition and support). Examples of this model include:- BT’s RibbitRibbit (telecommunications company)Ribbit is a telecommunications company based in Mountain View, California. It was acquired by BT Group on 2008-07-29 for $105 million.On August 10, 2011, Ribbit announced it was closing most of its external-facing operations and developer program within a couple of months.The company’s goal is to...
- Verizon Wireless ODI
- AT&T Synaptic Hosting
- BT’s Ribbit
The enterprise customer
- Some network providers are focusing on enabling applications in the enterprise space. In this model, the network provider establishes a platform for their large enterprise customers who want to blend custom software with enhanced abilities, and will provide standardized processes around mobilizing enterprise applications, and exposing core back-office abilities to allow for dynamic customer interaction. Examples of this model include:
- Vodafone Applications Service
- Verizon Private Network
- Sprint Solution Launchpad
Trusted partner
- In this model, the network provider builds one-on-one relationships with trusted third-party developers by exposing customized network abilities, bringing a greater variety of brands to the network provider’s portfolio. Network providers using this model tend to only have a few partners (in contrast to the operator led model). Under this scenario, network providers benefit from a pre-established customer base and the developer’s marketing resources. Examples of this model include:
- 3/Skype Partnership (UK)
- Virgin Media and BBC iPlayerBBC iPlayerBBC iPlayer, commonly shortened to iPlayer, is an internet television and radio service, developed by the BBC to extend its former RealPlayer-based and other streamed video clip content to include whole TV shows....
Network operator developer resources
- Operator led model
- o2 Litmus
- Orange Partner
- Joint Innovations Lab
- Aggregator model
- Ovi Operator Partnership
- Cellmania
- Buongiorno
- Mass wholesale model
- BT Ribbit
- Verizon Wireless ODI
- AT&T Synaptic Hosting
- Enterprise customer model
- Vodafone Applications Service
- Verizon Private Network
- Sprint Solution Launchpad
External links
- Videos
- Whitepapers
- Additional URLs
- http://www.alcatel-lucent.com/application_enablement
- http://www.cisco.com/en/US/solutions/ns341/ns525/ns537/ns548/iphone_applications.html
- http://www.sybase.com/products/mobileenterprise/application-enablement