Will the Mobile Cloud and Tablets Unlock 4G Profits?

(Jul 9 2012) 4G , 4G Device , Applications , LTE , Mobile Enterprise , Wi-Fi

1. Cloud computing, social networking, the tablet and enterprise IT are converging to become one of the hottest opportunities and challenges for the mobile broadband industry.

   The benefits of cloud computing for the enterprise, large or small, have been extolled as being the re-shapers of the future of IT. Lower capital investment, lower operational costs, flexible, scalable, survivable, rapidly deployable; the list goes on.

   It is difficult not to get caught up in the myriad advances in hardware and software, speeds, storage and power consumption that have propelled cloud computing to the forefront of disruptive technologies. It’s not those advances that are the real disruptors. The real disruption that cloud computing has caused to IT is the change in the way the computing power is deployed and used. No longer do applications need to be captive to singular platforms, and no longer to users of these applications need to be captive to a single mode of access.

   The even greater power of cloud computing is unleashed when it is enabled by the possibilities of mobile broadband. In the fully-mobile, all-IP environment of 4G networks the benefits delivered by real-time, anywhere access for enterprise IT are difficult to ignore.

   One driver that is emerging as one of the key beneficiaries of mobile access to the power of the cloud is Enterprise Collaboration Systems (ECS). ECS is really a suite of applications, networks and tools that support and promote sharing, or collaboration, of documents, messaging, voice and video applications and Unified Communications (UC), within and across enterprises. Deployed in a cloud environment, ECS considerations such as end terminal device deployment, support and management, security and encryption can be efficiently addressed. And it is here, with an ever-growing base of BYOD mobile users, bringing an increasing number of new and different business and personal use tablets, in some cases, in spite of the concerns of IT’s security teams and help desks, that attention is being focused.

   Orange Business Services, the business division of France Telecom, and Verizon Enterprise Solutions, formerly known as Terremark, are just two of many network operators who have entered the ECS marketplace. With close ties to their wireless network operator counterparts both have broad offerings of Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS) and Software as a Service (SaaS) that are ripe for mobile opportunities driven by ECS. With infrastructure and mobile connectivity at the ready, what are the real drivers?

   Social networking was initially viewed only as a consumer application, largely as a result of the success of Facebook. Facebook’s success as a social networking application goes unquestioned, however its success as a mobile application has fallen short of expectations. As Facebook ponders strategies to become a dominant mobile application, including CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s rumored desire to offer a Facebook mobile device, business leaders are beginning to take notice of the power of quick and easy access to interaction and collaboration that social application pioneered. Social networking is an emerging aspect of ECS that is a potential driver of rapid business adoption.

   "More than ever, companies are rethinking the way they have traditionally done business to take a more social approach,” said Murali Sitaram, vice president and general manager, Cloud Collaboration Technology Group, Cisco. Cisco has integrated the more powerful aspects of consumer social network features with cloud-based collaboration services as singular and integrated user experience. “This new experience gives customers the option to securely participate in social business from the device and application of their choice."

   Cisco’s WebEx Social mobile allows users to share posts with videos, images, and links as well as supporting instant messaging (IM), voice calls, email, and web conferencing. The application is available for iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch and can be downloaded at no charge from Apple’s App Store. Although available for Android 2.2 it is currently supported only for Cisco’s Cius devices.

   Another market entrant is Imogo Mobile Technologies Corp. Imogo recently announced the launch of its new cloud-hosted ZaOffice suite of applications targeted to mobile users in small- to medium-sized businesses. The ZaOffice suite will provide business and personal tablet users with secure anytime, anywhere, any-device convenience for a range of secure applications including such as voice service, e-mail, click-to-call and click-to-fax.

   "We believe Tablet computers are the future of mobile computing,” offered Imogo President, Founder and CEO Stewart Irvine. "Our 'Tablet-centric' strategy is focused on providing mobile users with a cost-effective and powerful office-anywhere, -anytime platform to meet the mobile computing needs of both personal and business users.”

   While there is little doubt that the benefits of tablets and hosted mobile applications are going to be compelling and will be driving wireless connectivity, there is however an underlying question – how will users connect? With very few exceptions today’s tablets are being shipped with support only for Wi-Fi, and without 4G capabilities. And with most carriers putting adding usage caps or putting an end to unlimited data plans, is there truly sufficient user groundswell that will change tablet connectivity options?

   Amazon’s Kindle Fire and Google’s competitive response, the Nexus 7 are both devices that today ship only with support for Wi-Fi. Despite a lack of 4G connectivity these are wildly successful consumer products although it appears that Amazon is ready to up the stakes further in its battle against Google. It has been suggested that Amazon will be including 4G LTE capabilities in one of the three Kindle Fire 2 products that have been rumored to be released as early as next month.

   With the growth of tablet sales quickly outpacing, if not displacing, laptops and notebooks, it is clear that demand for mobile broadband connectivity will need to grow at similar or faster pace. With the demise of “unlimited” data plans by Verizon Wireless and AT&T, there is a shift to Shared Use Data plans that are designed to support multiple devices per subscriber. The growth of mobile cloud and hosted services, along with the consumerization of enterprise IT, leave the industry with at least two important considerations to ponder:

   • Does a powerful tablet product need to include both 4G and Wi-Fi capabilities?
   • How do consumers decide which connectivity options they need in their new tablet devices or shared wireless plans?

   Join the mobile broadband ecosystem’s thought leaders at 4G World as they explore the implications of the power of the mobile cloud and the tablet and how they’re shaping the business models, products and services of the 4G wireless industry. With a comprehensive line-up of executive summits and in-depth workshops, delegates will gain insight into the application of powerful new technologies that can drive profitable new revenues.

   By: Andy Mitchell, Editor, 4G Trends

    

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