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Mobile device management - Tuned-in to MDM
The term Mobile Device Management (MDM) has been on the radar as a revenue prospect and market opportunity for some time. As more complex devices and mobile services continue to hit the market, MDM has now reached a stage where operators are beginning to understand the value of such solutions. Nils Granath defines MDM and explains where its benefits lie
Mobile phones have become an integral part of both consumer and business users' lifestyles. No longer a simple piece of equipment for making phone calls and sending SMS messages, mobile handsets have become more and more like miniature PCs when it comes to operating systems and applications.
Carriers are continually bringing more sophisticated services to the market, such as multimedia messaging, video streaming and multimedia gaming; and consumers are increasingly demanding mobile content across all the major genres: games, music, film and sport. According to Juniper Research, consumer spending on mobile content is expected to grow to E59bn by 2009 globally. As the market continues to speculate on the development of next generation 'killer' applications, including mobile TV, mobile IM and interactive gaming, operators face a challenge to keep their users interested in just what these ever-developing services can really do for them.
Ensuring continued growth
In a competitive market full of consolidation, and with voice services becoming saturated, it is important for mobile operators to drive new service opportunities for continued revenue growth. Operators are desperate to convince subscribers to buy into these new services after the large financial investments made in this space, with European mobile phone companies spending in excess of E100bn on 3G licence fees since 2000. The challenge is that, with the increased complexity of mobile devices, every new development can potentially lead to new problems. With handsets becoming increasingly complex and function-led, will the average consumer actually be able or even want to access these services?
It comes down to this; unless setup and delivery of new and existing applications and services is easy, reliable and hassle free for customers, new revenue growth is at risk.
Carriers and handset manufacturers understand that the adoption of new services depends on fast, trouble-free deployments, and MDM solutions are required to contribute to the success of new services. MDM can enable operators to drive new revenue opportunities, offer lower operating costs and increase customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Inside MDM
So what exactly does MDM do? It is used by operators to remotely manage the complete lifecycle of mobile handsets. Crucially, this includes optimising handsets to enable users to access and utilise cutting edge applications including IM, video streaming and mobile content. MDM also ensures that all handsets and their features are always up-to-date and fully functional while in the user's hands. It works by connecting a mobile phone to the MDM provider's server, which analyses the device checking its configuration and software version. The appropriate software updates for that particular device are then selected and remotely downloaded and installed straight onto the end-user's handset.
If the handset is struck with a virus or software bug, then MDM prevents the need for costly and time consuming patches and security updates. Software patches can be transferred to the phone in a matter of minutes, preventing the significant financial and reputational burden of a recall, keeping the customer happy and protecting the device manufacturer's image and reputations. MDM can also provide automatic back up of subscriber phonebook information on the SIM card as well as on the device itself, meaning that if the device is lost or stolen, the phone can be locked or have its data deleted and then be quickly reinstated.
Mobile data revenue opportunities are sometimes hindered by problems with initial device configuration, which in turn makes it difficult for customers to automatically access certain services. Poor content adaptation can also make services difficult to use, for example, sending a picture that does not fit the display. Operators need to take end-to-end responsibility for delivered services, from the mobile device through the mobile network to the content. In order to manage this, operators must know which devices are in their mobile network. MDM allows operators to automatically detect the handset and remotely configure all of its features.
As the adoption of new services gradually rises, the benefits of MDM become more transparent. Research company M:Metrics recently revealed that the popularity of MMS is on the up, helped by events such as the recent World Cup for example, with a 32 per cent rise in use in the US, and by levels of 16 - 20 per cent across Europe this year alone. Operators are sitting up to this news and want to ensure that their customers' phones are correctly configured for services such as MMS – because if they aren't, then the message will fail and there is a chance users will not come back to try these advanced services. Simply put, operators are losing significant revenue from customers who don't know how to use the range of multimedia applications available.
For example, a customer might want to send a video message but wouldn't have the first idea of where to start. The majority of users will tolerate an average navigation time of 30 seconds to reach a service, and it is a known fact that they only call the customer care line when they have a problem. By sending updates from a central source, the operator can pre-empt this and ensure that the customer's handset is enabled with these revenue-generating services.
Moving content from handset to handset
Mobile phones can store large amounts of data such as pictures, contacts, music and e-mails; and users value this information a great deal. One of the main customer concerns when upgrading to a new phone model is the danger of data loss, with stored information such as downloaded screensavers, games, and ringtones having already incurred significant expense. This, in combination with the complexity of new phone models and interoperability problems, often leads to an increased number of calls to the customer support departments or visits to retail outlets. Data being trapped on the mobile handset also presents a problem for mobile operators as they rely on users upgrading in order to increase the usage of data services like mobile TV or MMS, and to keep handset subsidiary costs relatively low.
Offering the customer a simple and convenient solution for retaining personal data is an effective way for mobile operators to help minimise churn and is an important element of MDM strategy. In fact, 15 to 20 per cent of mobile subscribers express a strong need for a mechanism to back-up contacts entered on mobile phones and other handset content, according to Zelos Group. Due to technology developments like megapixel cameras in mainstream handsets and the launch of exciting multi-player mobile games, it can be assumed that the handset replacement rate will increase from the current average upgrade cycle of 18 months and therefore data migration will grow in importance in the minds of mobile users. Such data backup could even create an additional revenue stream as many users are prepared to pay extra for an effective backup and restore solution.
To date, there have been very few solutions that can handle data transfer between different handset models and manufacturers. The vast majority of handsets do not support a mass-market solution for preserving personal data, with very few solutions in the marketplace able to transfer information between different handset models and manufacturers.
Off-the-shelf solutions tend to target early adopters with a high technical competence and administrative rights on their PC. This requires a conscious decision when changing handsets to also purchase a solution for data management – plus have the readiness and technology know-how to actually use it. It also requires a certain amount of discipline from the user since the software needs to be kept up-to-date by downloading new releases.
Over-The-Air (OTA) solutions, enabled by the emerging SyncML standard, are one alternative. This is an important step towards automatic and transparent synchronisation and backing-up of personal data. Yet, when implemented independently it has drawbacks as it is a protocol, and thus is only an enabler not a customer solution; simply owning a SyncML-enabled handset does not provide data synchronisation. SyncML works for well-defined data, such as calendar, contacts and diary, but is not well defined for other personal data equally important to the user like settings, call register, messages, pictures, ring tones, applications, MP3s and games. SyncML also provides little support in the area of interoperability in a multi-vendor environment where suppliers implement incompatible standards or maintain different interpretations.
Due to its limitations in availability and functionality however, SyncML will never be a competing technology to a Point-Of-Sale (POS) solution, but rather an excellent additional tool for ongoing synchronisation after POS-side activation and data transfer. POS solutions, typically located in mobile phone shops, are ideal because they can be used when users are in the process of upgrading as an add-on service. However, most solutions currently available generally have limited scope in device support and are unable to transfer data amongst devices of multiple vendors.
The new solution
As part of a MDM strategy, the ideal POS solution should make it possible for the user to back-up, restore and transfer all personal data from one mobile phone to another, regardless of the make or model. POS solutions operate via Bluetooth, Infrared or USB transfer and can only be enabled by mobile operators, meaning that consumers are unable to transfer content from their handset to that of a friend, preventing any digital rights infringements. As they can be located within an operator's retail outlet, the consumer simply requests all content is transferred to the new model at the time of upgrading handsets.
As mobile content can only be authorised for transfer to a new handset by the existing operator, customers have a compelling reason not to churn. In addition to this, the POS element of a MDM strategy provides a significant opportunity to generate revenue and encourage new handset adoption. Benefits to the consumer are clear, with paid-for mobile content, existing contact details and messages all preserved.
With a variety of solutions available to the operators to help them remotely manage their users' handsets, including OTA and POS, it is important that all options are assessed in line with both operators' and customers' needs. As the plethora of increasingly complex and dynamic mobile content continues to develop, and operators are increasingly asking themselves how they can reduce churn and build their customer base, MDM is fast becoming a vital and strategic solution that operators cannot afford to ignore.
Nils Granath is Director of Product Management at Sicap www.sicap.com
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