Sakari Luukkainen

Deploying NFC Technology for Mobile Ticketing Services Identification of Critical Business Model Issues

Near Field Communication (NFC) is a promising new communication technology that, among other things, allows mobile phones to emulate smart cards such as the travel cards used in public transportation. Bringing the travel card into mobile phone creates numerous benefits for both end users and service providers, which is why mobile ticketing with NFC technology has been considered a promising service. However, despite optimistic predictions, NFC technology and mobile ticketing services based on it, has yet to take off. While technical problems have played a part in this delay early on, the most significant reasons can be found in the challenging business models needed to realize NFC services. In this study, we aim to analyze the NFC mobile ticketing business model holistically and to identify critical issues that affect the commercial success of such a service. To do so, the NFC mobile ticketing business model is evaluated using a theoretical framework called the STOF model. The research material is comprised of a literature review of both academic and nonacademic literature as well as several expert interviews.

SDN and NFV integration in generalized mobile network architecture

The main drivers for the mobile core network evolution is to serve the future challenges and set the way to 5G networks with need for high capacity and low latency. Different technologies such as Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) and Software Defined Networking (SDN) are being considered to address the future needs of 5G networks. However, future applications such as Internet of Things (IoT), video services and others still unveiled will have different requirements, which emphasize the need for the dynamic scalability of the network functionality. The means for efficient network resource operability seems to be even more important than the future network element costs. This paper provides the analysis of different technologies such as SDN and NFV that offer different architectural options to address the needs of 5G networks. The options under consideration in this paper may differ mainly in the extent of what SDN principles are applied to mobile specific functions or to transport network functions only.

Open Telco: a new business potential

Until today, most mobile operators have still been very profitable, although Average Revenue per User (ARPU) has been steadily declining. The core mobile services, voice and text messaging, bring the majority of the income. In addition to those, new innovations have actively been searched for the last decade with insignificant success. One reason for the modest results can be found from the so-called walled garden approach. The situation is finally changing: openness and Open Innovation are the new paradigms. For a long time, open APIs have been utilized by Internet Service Providers (ISPs), such as Google, Flickr and Yahoo, and now the same approach has been proposed for mobile operators, as well. However, mobile operators have difficulties in justifying the opening of the walled garden: the major challenge is the lack of business case. This paper proposes an Open Telco approach to accelerate the innovativeness in the mobile space. The proposal is analyzed utilizing the so-called STOF (Service, Technology, Organization, and Finance) Model. Finally, recommendations for the next steps are given.

HTML 5 in Mobile Devices -- Drivers and Restraints

Application stores have played a crucial role in the proliferation of applications for smart phones and other mobile devices. However, web-based mobile applications are challenging the application store model by allowing developers to directly reach the end users. These web-based applications are enhanced by the HTML5 standard, which provides additional capabilities for the use of developers and brings the performance of mobile web applications closer to that of native applications. In this paper, we analyze the potential of HTML5 and identify drivers and restraints that affect the future of the technology.

Substitution in smartphone communication services

Substitution between mobile internet communication services and traditional mobile operator-provided communication services is studied in this paper using smartphones. The empirical data are collected with handset-based measurements conducted in Finland between 2008 and 2010. The data are collected from a total of 183 early adopter Symbian smartphone users. The individual-level correlation analysis indicates that no clear evidence in favor of substitution can be found. This implies that the services are used for different purposes as independent services and are not direct substitutes to each other. The results support similar studies conducted by other researchers. However, the analysis can be extended and improved in a number of ways that are discussed as future research.

Towards Open Telco - Business Models of API Management Providers

The term Open Telco refers to a new phenomenon where telecommunication operators provide open APIs for 3rd party developers and content providers. Multi-operator support requires cross network service providers (CNSPs) or network brokers between operators and developers. In the mobile domain brokers have already stepped into the SMS and data roaming businesses, but API brokering is still an emerging phenomenon. Business models based on mobile brokering are also in an early phase. On the other hand, internet API management providers have been offering services to various API publishers for a long time. This paper utilizes internet case studies in order to find out the best mobile broker business models. The analysis is carried through using the STOF model. At the end, the results are verified with the literature review, and recommendations for mobile brokering and for the next steps are given.

Mobile networks as a two-sided platform: case open telco

Internet companies have utilized the benefits of open innovation and open APIs for a long time, but mobile operators are just entering the open domain with a concept referred to here as Open Telco. This paper investigates how open APIs can be applied to mobile networks in order to transform them from a one-sided into a two-sided platform where new business models can be utilized. The research method is based on a single case study using a representative usage scenario. The research framework, applied in this case study, was driven by the literature analysis. The research was started by creating a set of usage scenarios for analysis by an expert group. The most representative case was then selected for a closer examination with the results presented in accordance with the research framework. According to the results, the Open Telco concept creates an ecosystem that enables a two-sided platform. However, positive network effects require at least national coverage; developers want innovative pricing schema and novel payment services need changes for regulation. Finally, the research limitations are expressed, the proposals for the next steps are given, results are compared with the literature findings, and conclusions are drawn.

Technology evolution of mobile peer-to-peer communications

We built a technology evolution analysis framework for a single case study of mobile peer-to-peer (MP2P) communications. We identified three different evolution paths for MP2P communications: Internet-driven, telecom-driven and proprietary. We used P2PSIP, IMS and Skype respectively to represent the evolution paths. According to our analysis, P2PSIP is an alternative to existing networks in situations where lower costs are desired, IMS is a foundation for operator-controlled services, and proprietary services are the first wave of MP2P communications services. We proposed the evolution of mobile client-server voice over IP services as a significant determinant for the evolution of MP2P communications services.

Incentives to apply green cloud computing

In recent years, there have been two major trends in the ICT industry: green computing and cloud computing. Green computing implies that the ICT industry has become a significant energy consumer and consequently, a major source of CO2 emissions. Cloud computing makes it possible to purchase IT resources as a service without upfront costs. In this paper, the combination of these two trends, green cloud computing, will first be evaluated based on existing research findings, which indicate that private clouds are the most green option to offer services. Hosting of private clouds can be outsourced, which allows companies to focus on their core competences. Furthermore, three case studies of state-of-the-art companies offering green hosting services are presented and incentives affecting their energy-efficiency development are analyzed. The results reveal that currently there is no demand in the market for green hosting services, because the only incentive for companies is low costs. Service providers should illustrate their greenness with transparent efficiency metrics, draw up green service level agreements and compete with greenness. Then it is up to end users to require more green web services and create derived demand for green cloud services and green hosting services.

Identification of preconditions for an emerging mobile LBS market

Location information has become a very important horizontal service component for a wide range of vertical mobile applications. This enabled multiple innovative mobile location-based services (LBS) that range from conventional mapping and navigation services featuring millions of points of interest (POI) to location-aware content delivery and mobile social networking. Providing a whole new world of opportunities for device and application vendors, network operators, content providers and prospective consumers, mobile LBS have potential to become one of the core businesses in todays mobile arena. However, the future of this market is not fully transparent due to several uncertainties associated with a mixture of technologies, service demand, consumer attitude, privacy aspects of using LBS and a complex value network. In this study, we identify and analyse a set of preconditions for an emerging mobile LBS market in its present evolution phase. The history of LBS motivates us to take a closer look at this emerging market and try to understand what the main reasons for LBS initial failure have been and what is still missing in this market today to emerge successfully. To focus on the most relevant issues, we construct our own research framework containing three main dimensions: technological advance and standardisation, value network and value proposition. Within these dimensions, we compare the early state of mobile LBS with the present situation and analyse the key factors presently crucial for LBS proliferation.