As well as being the buzzword around nearly every telecom
trade show in sight, the issue of mobile device management has become something
of a plight for the mobile industry and highlights the catch-22 between the
deployment of advanced data services and actually generating revenue from them.
The opportunities presented by more advanced mobile devices
(and SIM cards) have arrived with their own unique set of challenges. Listening
to mobile content and service providers, it is easy to forget that although the
advancements in technology have opened up the market for rich-media data
services (such as games, music and video) problems still exist in ensuring that
customers can not only find and use new services but that their devices are
correctly configured. Before mobile operators can even hope to see RoI from
their data strategies, they must ensure that, for example, the devices in the
hands of their customers are able to connect to services, that GPRS is
activated, messaging settings configured and that roaming networks – if users
are connecting from overseas – are correctly defined.
The Responsibility
Existing methods of device configuration, either through
pre-configuration of handsets or over-the-air updates from the customer care
department have shown that relying on the subscriber to proactively request
value-added service configuration can only go so far in ensuring an operator's
entire device fleet is correctly configured at all times.
The responsibility rests with the operator to guide the user
to services, simplify the experience and capture revenue. Specifically for the
MMS, the learning from the success of the now ubiquitous SMS pre-requisites the
following – always on, no configuration hassles, certainty in delivery, simple
and low price per use – all of which goes on to obtain the large community of
users so important for revenues and success.
In addition, due to lost or stolen handsets, churn between
networks or simple handset upgrades, it is estimated that more than 50% of all
mobile users around the world require changes to device settings each year. This
number in India may exceed 60%. The problem has been compounded by the constant
stream of new devices with ever more sophisticated capabilities. Over 100
handset manufacturers, a variety of different capabilities and support for
different device management protocols means device configuration is becoming
more and more complex, creating increased strain on network infrastructures.
Post-sale configuration of devices has traditionally been a laborious procedure
that leaves subscribers feeling frustrated. The result has been low-levels of
both penetration and service access amongst mobile users and, where issues over
configuration arise, increased levels of traffic to customer care centres.
The Changing Nature of Mobiles
Handsets from churning customers, legacy handsets or those
simply purchased from non-official operators outlets are often left
un-configured, or worse ill-configured, leaving the operator to rely on the
subscriber to actively pursue configuration through a manual procedure. In
Europe, it is estimated that no more than 50% of handsets have been purchased
through official operator retail channels, whilst in Asia the figure is as low
as 10-15%.
Indeed for un-configured devices, it may take several weeks
before the user makes contact with customer care to receive a settings update.
Multiply by the number of new subscriptions activated per month, or even just
handset upgrades amongst existing customers, and the extent of lost revenue
becomes apparent. To address this lag between purchase and configuration, a
number of operators have deployed next generation automatic device detection and
configuration environments. Using network or SIM-based technology it is possible
to detect new handsets on the network and configure them according to
functionality and operator services. The principle of 'walk out working' has
shown immediate reductions in the lag between device purchase and initial
service usage.
As subscriber figures across the world plateau, attention has
been turned from customer acquisition to customer retention. The 40 mn strong
Indian GSM market has less than one mn active MMS users, which is a poor 2.5%
takeup. By removing the complexities of handset configuration, customers are
granted immediate access to the operator's portfolio of revenue-generating
services. By knowing the subscriber's handset, operators are able to
communicate the service capabilities relevant to the potential user, accurately
and in real time. There is no need for the customer to contact customer care or
follow set-up procedures listed on the operator's / handset manufacturer's
website. This form of customer satisfaction is, of course, key for building
usage, loyalty and brand.
Sharad Arora, region manager (India), SmartTrust
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