Category Archives: Rich Mobile Applications

From IM to the First Point of Contact with the Internet (FPOCI)

IM (Instant Messaging) / chat has been around for a long time. Before AIM (AOL Instant Messenger, 1997) and ICQ (Internet Chat Query, 1996), there was the command line function ‘chat’ on unix (early 1980s) which evolved into IRC (Internet Relay Chat,1988); and for the VMS (Virtual Memory System) crowd there was phone (sometime in […]

What is it that you do?

I’m asked this question surprisingly often, “Alan, what is it that you do?” My stock answer is, “I wander the world helping people.” Which generally results in a wry smile from those who know me; else a questioning or annoyed look from someone who was expecting a straightforward answer to a straightforward question. When I […]

SDP Asia Hightlight. BubbleMotion: Evolving from a VAS to an App Provider

The 6th SDP Asia Summit 27-30 March was reviewed previously here and here.  Tom Clayton gave an excellent presentation on BubbleMotion’s transition from being VAS (Value Added Service) provider to being an App provider at the conference, his case study is the focus of this article. Use of applications on smartphones is growing rapidly in […]

Summary of SDP Asia, Mobile VAS, Smartphone Apps & OS, and Convergent Billing Conference

The 6th SDP Asia Summit was held in conjunction with 3 other conferences: Smartphone Applications & Operating Systems (OS) Asia 3rd Mobile Value Added Services Asia OSS/BSS & Convergent Billing Asia The SDP Asia Summit and Convergent Billing Asia were run as a single stream which made sense as they are both platforms necessary to […]

New Report: The Services Domain. Market Status, Case Studies, Analysis, and Recommendations

An operator is composed of three domains: Network, IT and Services.  Historically we’ve treated the services domain as something that can be solved by a piece of technology, called the SDP (Service Delivery Platform).  This has resulted in the industry’s slow response to the competitive threats of web-based service providers, which are now starting to […]

SDP Asia, Mobile VAS, Smartphone Apps & OS, and Convergent Billing Conference. 27-30 March 2012 Singapore

The 6th SDP Asia Summit is being held in conjunction with 3 other conferences: Smartphone Applications & Operating Systems (OS) Asia 3rd Mobile Value Added Services Asia OSS/BSS & Convergent Billing Asia The report “The Services Domain. Market Status, Case Studies, Analysis and Recommendations” report discusses the importance of the services domain to the future […]

Recent Workshops

A common theme on many of my projects is providing either at the start or end of a project an in-depth workshop. The focus of these workshops is varied: providing a fast-track understanding on new technologies or business models; separating hype from reality; explaining the unsaid agendas of the suppliers and service providers; providing a […]

The Next Generation On Device Portal – Do it or Drop the Service Provider title

The missed opportunity of the ODP (On Device Portal) has been discussed on this weblog several times.  The fact it took Apple to show the industry how to get it right is an embarrassment.  Apple’s iPhone has redefined the relationships in the mobile ecosystem.  Essentially they have become the service provider and the operator a […]

TelstraOne Experience: ODP Re-Emergence?

Earlier this week I discovered Telstra have launched an integrated storefront experience called the TelstraOne Experience: across the phone’s features, web, content, games, customer relationship management, and all the other services they provide.  Critically, its front-and-center of the customer’s phone experience and aimed at one-click access.  See picture and video below on its operation.  Its […]

Cricket’s MyHomeScreen shows the industry how to take on the Consumer Electronics and Operating System App Stores

In the article Reinventing the On Device Portal – The App Store, I reviewed how Apple’s implementation of its App Store on the iPhone provides a template for operators and how the struggling ODP (On Device Portal) can come into its own. I’ve reviewed the ODP landscape, its struggles and evolution in previous weblog articles.  […]