Friday June 23, 2006

Analyst Ovum has just published a new report regarding mobile operators which is very interesting. "Mobile messaging services: a market overview" provides an overview of the mobile messaging market, and examines the current status and prospects for MMS, mobile email and mobile instant messaging.

In fact the last years, mobile operators in mature markets have had to deal with a heavy deceleration in their voice revenue growth. Their answer had been to offer mobile data solutions.

But what is meant by "mobile data"? SMS, MMS? Java games? Access to enterprise applications or is it email services? In consumer market they starting to offer mobile TV.

There is, however, a clear distinction between data services that are basically about content and those that are basically about communications: in other words, messaging.

The last thing is easy to do for mobile operators as they know this game. It's more about upgrading the the communication systems...

But while mobile operators are moving to build up their content revenues on the other hand, the process is a very challenging one. It requires them, in effect, to become media companies, and to build the organisational structures, business relationships and marketing strategies that the media business demands.

Additionally they have to migrate from telco networks to all IP networks (Next Generation Network) to offer these new services.

Good for them that they can trust in Sun offering the right strategies and having the best partner ecosystem to manage these challenges.

Read more in Global Telecoms Business: CEO and CFO Guide to Networks in the 21st Century (Issue March/April 2006).