LONDON, UK & TOKYO, JAPAN: LiMo Foundation™, a global consortium of mobile industry leaders today announced the launch of the first LiMo Release 2 (R2) handset that supports the brand new Vodafone 360 service on a ground breaking Samsung device. This news coincides with the further announcement from LiMo today within which all operator members on the LiMo Board have reaffirmed their intent to bring LiMo R2 devices and associated services to market during 2009/2010.
The Vodafone 360 H1 by Samsung, which boasts one of the market’s sleekest and most sophisticated touchscreen user interfaces (UI), provides end users with a state-of-the-art user experience to extend and enrich their service experience through Vodafone 360. This highly evolved coupling of an advanced device with next generation operator services epitomizes the distinct capabilities of the LiMo Platform and the uniquely collaborative nature of the LiMo ecosystem. Further highly innovative and differentiated R2 devices from LiMo members will flow into all regions through 2009 and 2010.
“The collaboration between Vodafone and Samsung that resulted in the 360 H1 device is a ringing endorsement of LiMo’s uniquely independent and collaborative approach to realising key technology for the benefit of the whole industry and signals the first of a wave of R2 LiMo handsets due in the coming months,” said Morgan Gillis, Executive Director of LiMo Foundation. “The Vodafone 360 H1 by Samsung delivers an inspiring service and handset combination which illustrates the game-changing results that eventuate when a handset platform enables leading operators and vendors to realise their vision of new user experiences with full freedom.”
“As a Founder Member of the LiMo Foundation, we have been highly involved in driving the Platform forward and are truly delighted that Samsung has delivered the first R2 LiMo handset”, said JK Shin, Executive Vice President and Head of Mobile Communications division, Samsung Electronics. “Vodafone 360 H1 by Samsung is our commitment to deliver the quality and richness of the LiMo Platform to consumers worldwide. Together with Samsung'’s proven technology leadership in the mobile phone industry, I strongly believe that Samsung will provide better value to our consumers along with Vodafone’s ground breaking service, Vodafone 360.”
As Samsung’'s first LiMo based product, the Vodafone 360 H1 offers a superior mobile experience to end-users through the Vodafone 360 service. The Vodafone 360 H1 by Samsung comes with an ultra brilliant 3.5” WVGA AMOLED display and a wide range of advanced features including 720P HD video recording as well as exclusive Vodafone services. Equipped with high performance in a stylish design, the phone provides a superb user interface and seamless connectivity.
The Vodafone 360 service includes a universal contact list that integrates information from address books within various services, and a 3D zoom feature that enables users to browse through their latest interaction in chronological order.
“Vodafone is privileged and honoured to be the first operator to launch a LiMo handset based on the R2 LiMo Platform. We believe this groundbreaking smartphone and platform combination will completely revolutionize the way in which end-users access their favourite services on their mobile phone,” said Patrick Chomet, Vodafone Group Director of Terminals and a founder director of the LiMo Foundation, “We have chosen to launch our new service strategy on the LiMo Platform, which demonstrates Vodafone’'s strong belief and ongoing commitment to LiMo.”
Showing posts with label Vodafone. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vodafone. Show all posts
Friday, September 25, 2009
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
T-Mobile and Orange move to upset UK status quo
Emeka Obiodu and Steven Hartley, senior analysts with Ovum
UK: UK mobile network operators T-Mobile and Orange have announced exclusive negotiations to combine their UK operations into a 50:50 joint venture. Based on December 2008 figures, the combined entity would have 28 million subscribers and 37 percent market share.
Creating a new market leader
The first thing to note about today’s announcement is that it is for exclusive negotiations. The deal is unlikely to be signed until the end of October, with completion expected in the first half of next year.
Furthermore, on this morning’s briefing call both parties were keen to stress that the two brands would operate separately for a further 18 months, with a new brand not expected to launch until 2012 (maybe not the best idea when the Olympics come to London and global branding efforts to thousands of roamers are undermined). Therefore, there is still a long way to go and in the short term the deal will change very little.
However, assuming the deal goes through without a hitch, it does realign the UK competitive landscape. To date the two separate operators have struggled to close the gap on Vodafone and O2. The combined entity would not only become the clear market leader, but the synergies (through network integration, marketing and distribution, and other efficiencies) are promised to be £620 million by 2014, thereby improving profitability immensely.
It is important to remember too that Orange’s fixed broadband assets are also included in the deal, so the combination would enable T-Mobile customers to receive integrated offerings. This should not be overstated, but for T-Mobile the lack of a fixed strategy was leaving it somewhat exposed to future trends in the UK.
Huge challenges for Vodafone and 3
The T-Mobile/Orange merger sets the stage for a total transformation of the UK mobile market and poses the question of the response from Vodafone, O2 and 3. Unsurprisingly, 3 will be the most affected as the merger cuts it adrift in the market.
With a market share of less than 6 percent it would become too small to compete realistically and would have to reconsider its presence in the UK, either by becoming an MVNO or exiting the market.
For Vodafone, this merger is a blow as it relegates it to third in its domestic market. This will dent the group’s ego, and Vodafone must take steps to ameliorate it. Even a takeover of 3 will not be sufficient. However, given the recent cosiness between Vodafone and BT, this might just become the prompt for Vodafone to tie-up with BT and take the initiative in its domestic market as an integrated telco.
O2 and Virgin Mobile will be less impacted. O2 will lose its market leadership, but it has successfully challenged the market leader before, both in the UK and Germany. Therefore we do not see any drastic response from it. Virgin Mobile’s involvement will be limited to where its wholesale deal resides. If regulators compel T-Mobile/Orange to spin off the deal, then Virgin Mobile will get ready to work with a new partner.
Ovum expects regulators to approve deal
While the 37 percent market share of the combined Orange/T-Mobile business looks big, comparisons with Europe make it look reasonable. Market leaders in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Portugal have similar shares. Indeed, regulators will look at a broader definition of dominance when approving the deal.
Regulators will have to look at the Virgin Mobile wholesale deal with T-Mobile and T-Mobile’s network-sharing deal with 3. We expect the Virgin Mobile deal to be decoupled –- Orange/T-Mobile tacitly suggested this by separating out Virgin Mobile’s customers in their subscriber data.
Regulators will likely encourage the continuation of T-Mobile’s network-sharing deal with 3, unless 3 becomes a takeover target itself. Finally, negotiations about spectrum re-farming are unlikely to be solved with this merger and the expected government plan should still materialise.
Ultimately, as long as regulators impose the necessary safeguards, we do not believe the deal is bad for consumers. Competition is good for consumers, but with five major players the UK operators were competing themselves to death and badly needed to consolidate.
The UK’s operators face many challenges, including recouping the billions invested in 3G; expanding and upgrading network coverage; and getting ready for 4G –- and all this without seeking any government subsidy. Therefore, something needed to be done.
UK: UK mobile network operators T-Mobile and Orange have announced exclusive negotiations to combine their UK operations into a 50:50 joint venture. Based on December 2008 figures, the combined entity would have 28 million subscribers and 37 percent market share.
Creating a new market leader
The first thing to note about today’s announcement is that it is for exclusive negotiations. The deal is unlikely to be signed until the end of October, with completion expected in the first half of next year.
Furthermore, on this morning’s briefing call both parties were keen to stress that the two brands would operate separately for a further 18 months, with a new brand not expected to launch until 2012 (maybe not the best idea when the Olympics come to London and global branding efforts to thousands of roamers are undermined). Therefore, there is still a long way to go and in the short term the deal will change very little.
However, assuming the deal goes through without a hitch, it does realign the UK competitive landscape. To date the two separate operators have struggled to close the gap on Vodafone and O2. The combined entity would not only become the clear market leader, but the synergies (through network integration, marketing and distribution, and other efficiencies) are promised to be £620 million by 2014, thereby improving profitability immensely.
It is important to remember too that Orange’s fixed broadband assets are also included in the deal, so the combination would enable T-Mobile customers to receive integrated offerings. This should not be overstated, but for T-Mobile the lack of a fixed strategy was leaving it somewhat exposed to future trends in the UK.
Huge challenges for Vodafone and 3
The T-Mobile/Orange merger sets the stage for a total transformation of the UK mobile market and poses the question of the response from Vodafone, O2 and 3. Unsurprisingly, 3 will be the most affected as the merger cuts it adrift in the market.
With a market share of less than 6 percent it would become too small to compete realistically and would have to reconsider its presence in the UK, either by becoming an MVNO or exiting the market.
For Vodafone, this merger is a blow as it relegates it to third in its domestic market. This will dent the group’s ego, and Vodafone must take steps to ameliorate it. Even a takeover of 3 will not be sufficient. However, given the recent cosiness between Vodafone and BT, this might just become the prompt for Vodafone to tie-up with BT and take the initiative in its domestic market as an integrated telco.
O2 and Virgin Mobile will be less impacted. O2 will lose its market leadership, but it has successfully challenged the market leader before, both in the UK and Germany. Therefore we do not see any drastic response from it. Virgin Mobile’s involvement will be limited to where its wholesale deal resides. If regulators compel T-Mobile/Orange to spin off the deal, then Virgin Mobile will get ready to work with a new partner.
Ovum expects regulators to approve deal
While the 37 percent market share of the combined Orange/T-Mobile business looks big, comparisons with Europe make it look reasonable. Market leaders in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Portugal have similar shares. Indeed, regulators will look at a broader definition of dominance when approving the deal.
Regulators will have to look at the Virgin Mobile wholesale deal with T-Mobile and T-Mobile’s network-sharing deal with 3. We expect the Virgin Mobile deal to be decoupled –- Orange/T-Mobile tacitly suggested this by separating out Virgin Mobile’s customers in their subscriber data.
Regulators will likely encourage the continuation of T-Mobile’s network-sharing deal with 3, unless 3 becomes a takeover target itself. Finally, negotiations about spectrum re-farming are unlikely to be solved with this merger and the expected government plan should still materialise.
Ultimately, as long as regulators impose the necessary safeguards, we do not believe the deal is bad for consumers. Competition is good for consumers, but with five major players the UK operators were competing themselves to death and badly needed to consolidate.
The UK’s operators face many challenges, including recouping the billions invested in 3G; expanding and upgrading network coverage; and getting ready for 4G –- and all this without seeking any government subsidy. Therefore, something needed to be done.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Vodafone deepens strategic partnership with EMC
BANGALORE, INDIA: EMC Corp. today announced that Vodafone has selected EMC as a preferred partner for storage and storage-related products in its European markets.
The deepening of the strategic relationship between the two companies will result in EMC receiving preferred vendor status for the next three years.
Under the terms of the agreement, EMC’s solutions will represent a significant proportion of the overall external storage capacity for all new storage-related purchases within Vodafone Information Systems’ data center control. This will help to ensure that Vodafone continues to provide continuous availability of all customer and corporate data – with an optimal Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) –- across Europe.
Vodafone currently uses EMC high-end and mid-range Storage Area Network (SAN) and Network-attached Storage (NAS) systems in its global data centers, as well as EMC storage management software and services.
With this agreement Vodafone and EMC have expanded their existing partnership to unify the maintenance and service for Vodafone’s European storage environment, and to help increase efficiency by consolidating around –- and upgrading to -– EMC’s industry-leading information infrastructure technology.
“Both Vodafone’s global brand and its established reputation are founded on technical excellence. EMC recognizes the significance of the endorsement that Vodafone has made in moving to work with us as a preferred storage solution partner in the European theater,” said Frank Hauck, EMC’s Executive Vice President, EMC Storage Division, Global Marketing and Customer Quality.
“We look forward to working with Vodafone more closely than ever, in this and in other areas of the EMC Information Infrastructure and Management portfolio.”
EMC has been a Strategic Supplier to Vodafone for several years, and was honored in 2006 with Vodafone’s Global Supplier Award in the “Best Performance in IT” category. EMC attained the company’s number one ranking in corporate responsibility, financial stability, commercial performance, technology, quality management, and delivery capability.
The deepening of the strategic relationship between the two companies will result in EMC receiving preferred vendor status for the next three years.
Under the terms of the agreement, EMC’s solutions will represent a significant proportion of the overall external storage capacity for all new storage-related purchases within Vodafone Information Systems’ data center control. This will help to ensure that Vodafone continues to provide continuous availability of all customer and corporate data – with an optimal Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) –- across Europe.
Vodafone currently uses EMC high-end and mid-range Storage Area Network (SAN) and Network-attached Storage (NAS) systems in its global data centers, as well as EMC storage management software and services.
With this agreement Vodafone and EMC have expanded their existing partnership to unify the maintenance and service for Vodafone’s European storage environment, and to help increase efficiency by consolidating around –- and upgrading to -– EMC’s industry-leading information infrastructure technology.
“Both Vodafone’s global brand and its established reputation are founded on technical excellence. EMC recognizes the significance of the endorsement that Vodafone has made in moving to work with us as a preferred storage solution partner in the European theater,” said Frank Hauck, EMC’s Executive Vice President, EMC Storage Division, Global Marketing and Customer Quality.
“We look forward to working with Vodafone more closely than ever, in this and in other areas of the EMC Information Infrastructure and Management portfolio.”
EMC has been a Strategic Supplier to Vodafone for several years, and was honored in 2006 with Vodafone’s Global Supplier Award in the “Best Performance in IT” category. EMC attained the company’s number one ranking in corporate responsibility, financial stability, commercial performance, technology, quality management, and delivery capability.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Vodafone selects Tele Atlas to power location-based apps
GENT, BELGIUM: Tele Atlas, a leading global provider of digital maps and dynamic content for navigation and location-based solutions, and Vodafone Group have announced an agreement whereby Vodafone will use Tele Atlas digital maps and location-based content across its global footprint for the company’s location-based services (LBS) and navigation offerings.
Through the agreement, Tele Atlas and Vodafone will collaborate to enable powerful LBS, routing and mapping applications for mobile users around the world.
The agreement gives Vodafone access to Tele Atlas’ global digital map content and products, including 24 million points of interest (POIs), 3D Landmarks, 2D City Maps and Digital Elevation Models, which give local search application users maps that more closely reflect their surroundings.
Vodafone will also gain access to Tele Atlas Speed Profiles, which provides highly accurate speed data to help navigation application users find the most optimal routes and far more accurately estimate travel times.
Bobby Rao, Director, Internet Services Marketing and New Business Director at Vodafone Group said: "In an increasingly connected world, we are constantly striving to enrich our customers’ lives by enabling them to communicate wherever they are with the tools and services they need. Accurate location content is at the heart of many of these offerings, allowing Vodafone to deliver a powerful, seamless mobile experience around the world, based on up-to-date maps and content."
"We’re very pleased to partner with Vodafone to bring their customers fresh, accurate maps and innovative location content," said Bill Henry, CEO, Tele Atlas. "As the leading map provider we’ll focus on delivering the richest experience to Vodafone customers that advances their mobile lifestyle."
Through the agreement, Tele Atlas and Vodafone will collaborate to enable powerful LBS, routing and mapping applications for mobile users around the world.
The agreement gives Vodafone access to Tele Atlas’ global digital map content and products, including 24 million points of interest (POIs), 3D Landmarks, 2D City Maps and Digital Elevation Models, which give local search application users maps that more closely reflect their surroundings.
Vodafone will also gain access to Tele Atlas Speed Profiles, which provides highly accurate speed data to help navigation application users find the most optimal routes and far more accurately estimate travel times.
Bobby Rao, Director, Internet Services Marketing and New Business Director at Vodafone Group said: "In an increasingly connected world, we are constantly striving to enrich our customers’ lives by enabling them to communicate wherever they are with the tools and services they need. Accurate location content is at the heart of many of these offerings, allowing Vodafone to deliver a powerful, seamless mobile experience around the world, based on up-to-date maps and content."
"We’re very pleased to partner with Vodafone to bring their customers fresh, accurate maps and innovative location content," said Bill Henry, CEO, Tele Atlas. "As the leading map provider we’ll focus on delivering the richest experience to Vodafone customers that advances their mobile lifestyle."
Monday, June 29, 2009
Nokia Siemens Network rolls out Vodafone network in seven new regions across India
BANGALORE, INDIA: Vodafone Essar has completed a rapid service expansion into seven new regions across India. People living in or traveling to Assam, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, North East and Orissa will now be able to use services provided by India’s second largest GSM operator. Nokia Siemens Networks, Vodafone Essar’s existing infrastructure partner in 12 regions, undertook the new network roll out in just ten months.
The planning and building of the seven networks was undertaken as in the first phase of a three year expansion contract awarded to Nokia Siemens Networks in 2008. Further expansion will carry on through 2010.
Nokia Siemens Networks has a strong track record in speedy network roll out, and in India alone it sets up 5,000 base stations a month. With this contract, the company has emerged as the largest network implementation partner for Vodafone in India, with more than 80% of Vodafone’s subscriber traffic in the country flowing through infrastructure set up by Nokia Siemens Networks.
“We are proud to partner with Vodafone Essar as it charts an aggressive growth strategy and are committed to helping it realize its goals,” said C.B. Velayuthan, Head, Vodafone Customer Team, Nokia Siemens Networks. “India’s vast geography and varied topology, in addition to the acute power shortage in remote areas, make network expansion a challenging task. Our Flexi Base Station and services capabilities are the ideal solution for service providers who want to achieve more, with less.”
The planning and building of the seven networks was undertaken as in the first phase of a three year expansion contract awarded to Nokia Siemens Networks in 2008. Further expansion will carry on through 2010.
Nokia Siemens Networks has a strong track record in speedy network roll out, and in India alone it sets up 5,000 base stations a month. With this contract, the company has emerged as the largest network implementation partner for Vodafone in India, with more than 80% of Vodafone’s subscriber traffic in the country flowing through infrastructure set up by Nokia Siemens Networks.
“We are proud to partner with Vodafone Essar as it charts an aggressive growth strategy and are committed to helping it realize its goals,” said C.B. Velayuthan, Head, Vodafone Customer Team, Nokia Siemens Networks. “India’s vast geography and varied topology, in addition to the acute power shortage in remote areas, make network expansion a challenging task. Our Flexi Base Station and services capabilities are the ideal solution for service providers who want to achieve more, with less.”
Monday, June 15, 2009
Comverse names 10 finalists for fourth annual Innovation Awards
WAKEFIELD, USA: Comverse has announced 10 finalists for its Fourth Annual Innovation Awards. The winners will be announced next week during Comverse EXPO 2009, the telecom industry's leading virtual event.
The awards, organized in association with market research firm Yankee Group, honor service providers that have creatively implemented a Comverse solution to achieve significant business success. Examples include new monetization schemes, exceptional speed and scope of deployments, outstanding launch and business models, unique market penetration approaches, and significant cost reductions.
The 10 finalists are:
Bezeq (Israel): Migrating to IP-based residential and business voice services using Comverse MyCall Broadband IP Telephony, IP Centrex and IP Trunking;
m:tel (Montenegro): Deploying Comverse Converged Billing in an ultra-fast fashion, which allowed the service’s launch to capture roaming traffic during the summer tourist season;
SFR (France): Solving the problem of limited message storage space in handsets by saving text messages on the web using Comverse Messaging Router with Messaging Personalization and MT Interception capabilities;
SingTel (Singapore): Offering ground breaking advertising services to top-tier advertisers, media agencies and small- to mid-sized enterprises using Comverse Mobile Advertising;
Softbank Mobile (Japan): Innovative mobile enterprise telephony solution that integrates mobile phones with PBX-based enterprise telephony using Comverse Converged IP Centrex and IP trunking;
Telecom Italia: Consolidating postpaid billing operations for 22 million accounts using the Comverse Billing Solution;
Telefonica Moviles (Movistar Chile): Implementing a new Comverse Real-Time Billing feature that provides SMS notification to callers trying to reach prepaid subscribers whose service has been temporarily disrupted;
Telstra (Australia): Deploying an online integrated inbox to support unified messaging from multiple devices and platforms using Comverse Messaging Gateway;
Vodafone Group (Global): Driving a leading industry group for mobile communications (Open Mobile Terminal Platform) to recommend industry specifications for visual voicemail, which will support its mass market penetration; and
Vodafone India: Creative prepaid marketing offerings, including Special Tariff Vouchers, using Comverse Real-Time Billing.
“We selected the finalists from a large, diverse group of customers, spanning all regions, tiers and lines of business,” said Urban Gillstrom, Global President of Group Sales at Comverse, the world's leading supplier of software and systems enabling value-added messaging and content services, converged billing and active customer management, and IP communications.
“Their successful and innovative deployments of our Billing, Value-Added Services and IP Communications offerings reflect the great versatility and breadth of Comverse's solutions, which can be easily tailored to the business needs of each operator,” Gillstrom said. “The Innovation Awards are an integral part of this year's highly anticipated Comverse EXPO event.”
The awards, organized in association with market research firm Yankee Group, honor service providers that have creatively implemented a Comverse solution to achieve significant business success. Examples include new monetization schemes, exceptional speed and scope of deployments, outstanding launch and business models, unique market penetration approaches, and significant cost reductions.
The 10 finalists are:
Bezeq (Israel): Migrating to IP-based residential and business voice services using Comverse MyCall Broadband IP Telephony, IP Centrex and IP Trunking;
m:tel (Montenegro): Deploying Comverse Converged Billing in an ultra-fast fashion, which allowed the service’s launch to capture roaming traffic during the summer tourist season;
SFR (France): Solving the problem of limited message storage space in handsets by saving text messages on the web using Comverse Messaging Router with Messaging Personalization and MT Interception capabilities;
SingTel (Singapore): Offering ground breaking advertising services to top-tier advertisers, media agencies and small- to mid-sized enterprises using Comverse Mobile Advertising;
Softbank Mobile (Japan): Innovative mobile enterprise telephony solution that integrates mobile phones with PBX-based enterprise telephony using Comverse Converged IP Centrex and IP trunking;
Telecom Italia: Consolidating postpaid billing operations for 22 million accounts using the Comverse Billing Solution;
Telefonica Moviles (Movistar Chile): Implementing a new Comverse Real-Time Billing feature that provides SMS notification to callers trying to reach prepaid subscribers whose service has been temporarily disrupted;
Telstra (Australia): Deploying an online integrated inbox to support unified messaging from multiple devices and platforms using Comverse Messaging Gateway;
Vodafone Group (Global): Driving a leading industry group for mobile communications (Open Mobile Terminal Platform) to recommend industry specifications for visual voicemail, which will support its mass market penetration; and
Vodafone India: Creative prepaid marketing offerings, including Special Tariff Vouchers, using Comverse Real-Time Billing.
“We selected the finalists from a large, diverse group of customers, spanning all regions, tiers and lines of business,” said Urban Gillstrom, Global President of Group Sales at Comverse, the world's leading supplier of software and systems enabling value-added messaging and content services, converged billing and active customer management, and IP communications.
“Their successful and innovative deployments of our Billing, Value-Added Services and IP Communications offerings reflect the great versatility and breadth of Comverse's solutions, which can be easily tailored to the business needs of each operator,” Gillstrom said. “The Innovation Awards are an integral part of this year's highly anticipated Comverse EXPO event.”
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Google Latitude: Operator business case heading south?
UK: Comment from Jeremy Green, Practice Leader & Michele Mackenzie, Principal Analyst, Ovum.
Google is stealing a march on operators
Location has long been touted as one of the key enablers which should be core to both the operator’s own direct-to-consumer (D2C) service offering and more recently as a network enabler which operators could open up to third-party application developers and preferably at a premium.
However, operators have dragged their heels for so long that device vendors such as Nokia and Internet players such as Google have stolen a march on the operators, launching their own location-enabled applications and building location platforms which allow them to enable third-party applications and build developer communities to serve their own user bases.
Google is in the process of building a location network across its markets and this is largely independent of the operator’s cooperation (although it is dependent on the operator refraining from disruptive action).
For most operators, it is too late to develop location awareness as a fully fledged premium service. And it was becoming increasingly unlikely that they would succeed in offering location as an enabler to third parties.
But Vodafone’s recent announcement that it will open up its network APIs to the developer community puts Vodafone at least back in the picture. Vodafone is one of the few operators with the size and scale to take on some of the other contenders. But is it too little too late?
Neither side ready for a fight
Google’s location platform uses a number of data criteria and location solutions in order to pinpoint the user’s location. It takes the device’s dynamically assigned IP address in order to determine the user’s country information.
It then identifies the cell tower which is serving the user in order to determine further the location of the user; this is done by the Google Maps application itself, so that the device can calculate its own location without any further information from or calculations by the operator’s network.
Google has built its own database of cell tower locations and cell IDs, information which is collected through active ‘war driving’ and its mapping application and fed back to its database. Google Latitude also uses the network of WiFi access point locations in order to determine the user’s location, and lastly the GPS functionality on the mobile phone.
Google’s service is to some extent dependent therefore on the operator’s infrastructure. At present, this would not be an issue for most operators who are seeking to drive further data traffic on their networks and Google’s applications are contributing to this.
But for those operators who are providing their own location services either as a D2C offering or business-to-business (B2B) offering, Google may well be undermining their business case.
The G1 Android phone offered in the UK by T-Mobile does not support Google Latitude, even though Google Maps is available, and G1s offered by other operators do support Latitude. This is allegedly because T-Mobile UK has requested that the feature is disabled, citing privacy concerns. This suggests that the operators are not prepared to go down without a fight, and that Google is still sensitive to operator concerns.
Advertising is key to success again
In line with its core business model of advertising, Google is likely to focus on monetising Latitude through advertising revenues, mainly local advertising. It may look at how it could generate revenues from selling contextual information on its users, presumably to advertisers. This will have to be done on an aggregated level in order not to compromise the data privacy of its users.
We believe that Google will make its location tools, including APIs, available free of charge to developers on the Google platform in order to drive usage of the Web.
These developers will therefore be able to query Google’s database of users’ locations, subject to the privacy constraints set by the users themselves and stored on the platform; we think that Google does not plan to charge for this.
It’s worth noting, though, that Google’s location server (which makes this possible) is not a Gateway Mobile Location Centre in the sense intended in the architecture for location services standardised by the mobile industry almost ten years ago. This too may be an indication that the operator-centric model for mobile location services is past its sell-by date.
Google is stealing a march on operators
Location has long been touted as one of the key enablers which should be core to both the operator’s own direct-to-consumer (D2C) service offering and more recently as a network enabler which operators could open up to third-party application developers and preferably at a premium.
However, operators have dragged their heels for so long that device vendors such as Nokia and Internet players such as Google have stolen a march on the operators, launching their own location-enabled applications and building location platforms which allow them to enable third-party applications and build developer communities to serve their own user bases.
Google is in the process of building a location network across its markets and this is largely independent of the operator’s cooperation (although it is dependent on the operator refraining from disruptive action).
For most operators, it is too late to develop location awareness as a fully fledged premium service. And it was becoming increasingly unlikely that they would succeed in offering location as an enabler to third parties.
But Vodafone’s recent announcement that it will open up its network APIs to the developer community puts Vodafone at least back in the picture. Vodafone is one of the few operators with the size and scale to take on some of the other contenders. But is it too little too late?
Neither side ready for a fight
Google’s location platform uses a number of data criteria and location solutions in order to pinpoint the user’s location. It takes the device’s dynamically assigned IP address in order to determine the user’s country information.
It then identifies the cell tower which is serving the user in order to determine further the location of the user; this is done by the Google Maps application itself, so that the device can calculate its own location without any further information from or calculations by the operator’s network.
Google has built its own database of cell tower locations and cell IDs, information which is collected through active ‘war driving’ and its mapping application and fed back to its database. Google Latitude also uses the network of WiFi access point locations in order to determine the user’s location, and lastly the GPS functionality on the mobile phone.
Google’s service is to some extent dependent therefore on the operator’s infrastructure. At present, this would not be an issue for most operators who are seeking to drive further data traffic on their networks and Google’s applications are contributing to this.
But for those operators who are providing their own location services either as a D2C offering or business-to-business (B2B) offering, Google may well be undermining their business case.
The G1 Android phone offered in the UK by T-Mobile does not support Google Latitude, even though Google Maps is available, and G1s offered by other operators do support Latitude. This is allegedly because T-Mobile UK has requested that the feature is disabled, citing privacy concerns. This suggests that the operators are not prepared to go down without a fight, and that Google is still sensitive to operator concerns.
Advertising is key to success again
In line with its core business model of advertising, Google is likely to focus on monetising Latitude through advertising revenues, mainly local advertising. It may look at how it could generate revenues from selling contextual information on its users, presumably to advertisers. This will have to be done on an aggregated level in order not to compromise the data privacy of its users.
We believe that Google will make its location tools, including APIs, available free of charge to developers on the Google platform in order to drive usage of the Web.
These developers will therefore be able to query Google’s database of users’ locations, subject to the privacy constraints set by the users themselves and stored on the platform; we think that Google does not plan to charge for this.
It’s worth noting, though, that Google’s location server (which makes this possible) is not a Gateway Mobile Location Centre in the sense intended in the architecture for location services standardised by the mobile industry almost ten years ago. This too may be an indication that the operator-centric model for mobile location services is past its sell-by date.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Vodafone enhances Grant Thornton's client service in £2m deal
UK: Vodafone UK today announced that leading financial and business advisor Grant Thornton UK LLP has awarded it a two year contract worth around £2m to protect and manage its entire mobile working estate with Vodafone Secure Remote Access (VSRA).
VSRA is an easy to implement, highly customizable remote working solution that provides fully configurable policy-based access that aligns to business and employee needs. This service enables Grant Thornton to enforce IT policy for all its mobile staff, providing high-speed data transmission.
In addition, Vodafone’s solution not only lowers the cost and complexity of supporting mobile staff, but also gives them a user-friendly and secure 'one button' connection to a range of mobile and fixed networks such as 3G, WiFi and fixed broadband.
Grant Thornton has over 3,500 mobile employees who regularly meet with its more than 25,000 individual and 15,000 corporate and institutional clients. With staff working from so many varied locations, Grant Thornton needed an enhanced, cost effective and easily manageable way for them to work remotely.
It also keeps Grant Thornton people within immediate reach of the Grant Thornton International organisation of independently owned and managed accounting and consulting firms. Following a detailed examination of available solutions Grant Thornton selected Vodafone.
The VRSA solution provides Grant Thornton with many benefits for managing its remote staff, from a specifically tailored reporting capability to a centralised and comprehensive IT security policy enforcement platform to protect its corporate resources.
Greg Swift, National IS Director for Grant Thornton, said: "By centralising the management of our mobile network, our staff have another enhanced service delivery tool that further increases our already high client satisfaction."
VSRA is an easy to implement, highly customizable remote working solution that provides fully configurable policy-based access that aligns to business and employee needs. This service enables Grant Thornton to enforce IT policy for all its mobile staff, providing high-speed data transmission.
In addition, Vodafone’s solution not only lowers the cost and complexity of supporting mobile staff, but also gives them a user-friendly and secure 'one button' connection to a range of mobile and fixed networks such as 3G, WiFi and fixed broadband.
Grant Thornton has over 3,500 mobile employees who regularly meet with its more than 25,000 individual and 15,000 corporate and institutional clients. With staff working from so many varied locations, Grant Thornton needed an enhanced, cost effective and easily manageable way for them to work remotely.
It also keeps Grant Thornton people within immediate reach of the Grant Thornton International organisation of independently owned and managed accounting and consulting firms. Following a detailed examination of available solutions Grant Thornton selected Vodafone.
The VRSA solution provides Grant Thornton with many benefits for managing its remote staff, from a specifically tailored reporting capability to a centralised and comprehensive IT security policy enforcement platform to protect its corporate resources.
Greg Swift, National IS Director for Grant Thornton, said: "By centralising the management of our mobile network, our staff have another enhanced service delivery tool that further increases our already high client satisfaction."
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