Ovum research: The evolution of 3G

According to an Ovum study, 3G strategies in Asia-Pacific have evolved significantly since the first 3G launches, said Nathan Burley, analyst at Ovum. A key change, caused as a result of industry-wide convergence and the rise of the mobile Internet, is in operators 3G content positioning.

“Operators are beginning to realise they can position as more than just an end-to-end integrated access, content and service provider”, said Nathan Burley, analyst.

Content and applications delivered in a neatly packaged 3G portal is no longer the only goal for all operators. But positioning as an enabler of third party content or as an access-only ‘bit-pipe’ are strategies been adopted. An increasingly typical operator description of its mobile data strategy is ‘bringing the Internet experience to mobile’, said Burley.

“It is now clear that not all user needs can be met on-portal and that a disintermediation between access and content is emerging on mobile as it did on the fixed Internet in years past”, Burley said.

Ovum encourages operators to consider more ‘open Internet’ approaches as Internet brands and trends impact mobile data strategies, and users demand more ease of access beyond the portal, claimed Burley.

The report also looks at markets yet to launch 3G such as China, India, Vietnam, Thailand and Pakistan. Key discussion points and trends include the four generic 3G strategies of cost-efficient voice, migration from 2G, mobile data services and broadband proposition; trends towards mobile broadband provision as a focus of 3G strategies; focus on the user experience rather than 3G technology; Web macro trends such as social networking and user-generated content that should be built into 3G strategies and service offerings; and Monetising knowledge of the end-user, mobile advertising and beyond the phone developments.