The time has come, to talk of many things: SMS 2.0, Personal IM and Instant SMS
In the last three years, we have seen vendors introduce new messaging solutions, all claiming to be the next step in SMS evolution. Presence enabled services have received a lot of attention but have limited traction in the mobile market. IM, by no means a new service, has been one of the most successful services but still far behind the penetration SMS has.
SMS reached a mature stage years ago, its growth rate has flattened and it has kept the same form and functionality since it was first introduced. However, it remains one the top revenue generator for mobile operators. So what do you do for an encore?
Cellular News published an interesting note on February 2nd: "Acision has announced that Russian mobile operator, MTS is using its Instant Messaging solution to offer an enhanced messaging experience to its subscribers. Combining the Acision Person to Person Gateway with core elements from
Colibria's product portfolio - including the Instant Messaging and Presence Service (IMPS) - Acision's Instant Messaging solution provided integration between mobile instant messaging and SMS."The significance of this note is the integration with SMS.
CTIA, GSMA and OMA have been working on a messaging solution that allows subscribers to message any person in their address book and enjoy an enhanced, presence enabled messaging experience.
SMS interconnection, however, has been the missing critical element for ensuring mass market adoption. This is not a technical issue as much as a commercial matter to be resolved between operators. The technical aspects of the solution have been addressed, but just like with SMS a few years ago, this service is unlikely to take off unless subscribers can message IM and SMS users across networks.
This was highlighted in the note from Cellular News; Pavel Roytberg, New Products and Services Department Director at MTS commented, "Self-expression, personalisation, rich media and community features are increasingly important to our youth customers. More important, however, is that these are underpinned with the reliability and reach of SMS and the ability to use just one messaging client even when there is no data coverage. This proves that full integration with SMS is fundamental to the success of instant messaging."
In Latin America, Brazilian operators are working on launching this service with interconnection between all operators. Telefonica Movistar is also working on launching the service in the region. In Europe, TMO and Telefonica launched during 2007-2008. In Asia, the commercial launch in India (Aircel, Bharti Airtel, BPL Mobile, BSNL, Idea, MTNL, Reliance Telecom, Spice and Vodafone-Essar) and Malaysia (DiGi Telecommunications and Maxis) was also during the same time period.
In addition to all of the above examples, last year at the World GSM Conference in Barcelona, a Personal IM seminar was held. Operators and Vendors presented case studies and their views about the future of mobile IM, including:
- Vimplecom Mobile IM Experience / Vimplecom (Beeline)
- Ancel Messenger Presentation / Ancel
- NokNok: Instant Messaging Case Study / MTN
- Making Interactive Communities Self Express / Telefonica
- What is Next? Rich Communication Suite / Orange
- Delivering on the Business Opportunity for New Mobile Communication revenues / NeuStar
- Putting MIM into Context / Colibria
All of this points to a clear emergence of Personal IM / SMS 2.0 as a service that can become the next "must have" service with operators around the world. Given the technical and commercial complexity of this solution, it shouldn't be a surprise that it has taken several years to get to this point. However, the recent breakthroughs in the Latin American, Asian and European markets, are very positive.
The interconnection with SMS is the critical element that can help this service become the first real presence based service that is widely accepted and open the door to other enhanced messaging solutions such as converged messaging, which until now we have seen only in PowerPoint form but not in mobile devices.
With GSMA Barcelona 2009 coming up, we look forward to hearing more good news about this service and what results operators are achieving with it, as well as what leading vendors and industry analyts expect for the future of converged messaging.
Surely this is another service and not SMS2.0. One of the key factors about SMS is that it is not instant - sometimes SMS is used as a defence - your comment can only be 'batted back' you can't be interrupted nor interpreted.
ReplyDeleteSurely SMS 2.0 is already hear, it is MMS. There are two key issues though
1- commercial - why are some networks still trying to sell MMS as a premium to SMS - it often isn't in bundles, it is expensive compared to SMS which many users treat as nearly free.
2- the final jump of functionality is required to link to media
e.g. - why can't you MMS straight from your Facebook session
- why isn't it simple to cut and paste a link into an MMS to open a mobile web session.
Le't use what we have as an installed base and increase the usage by increasing the usability.
Colin DD - Magno Communications, UK
the best way is UUPOST service, the first Rich Communication Suite
ReplyDeletehttp://www.uupost.com
JM Lacombe