Third-generation networks

Third-generation networks might require bigger screens, especially if you download video clips, better ways to move data in and out of them, and bigger memories if you want to carry your MP3 files with you. The handsets themselves are likely to get slightly bigger to hold batteries to support these new uses and to include chipsets for existing mobile networks as well as the new ones. In Singapore, the three 3G licence holders, namely Singtel Mobile, Starhub Mobile and MobileOne(M1), are bound by regulation with Infocomm Development Anthority (IDA) to complete their WCDMA rollout by Dec 31, 2004.

If they did not comply, a fine of S$1.0 million will be imposed. But according to vice-president of StarHub Mobile, "Although European countries have rolled out 3G, there has been much instability and even consolidation in the European 3G WCDMA market. " Pointing to the lack of 3G success stories across the world as a reason for caution. " The risks in investing in 3G technology is still high! ".

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In addition, senior analyst of Mobile Communication,Gartner, also worry and concern that there is no clear and compelling business case to justify the upfront capital expenditure.

The technology is not yet mature and its complexity has been somewhat underestimated

Explaining that "The technology is not yet mature and its complexity has been somewhat underestimated". Generally, there is an uncertainty as to when the upfront investment on the infrastructure can be recovered. M-Commerce According to Durlacher Research, M- Commerce is defined as "any transaction with a monetary value that is conducted via a mobile telecommunications networks" (Durlacher 2000).

A somewhat looser approach would be to characterize M-Commerce as the emerging set of applications and services people can access from theie Internet-enabled mobile commerce.

Mobile Commerce will not only be an extension of E-Business but will also adds consumer value through personalisation, mobility, availability and ease of use due to its ability to be instantly implemented. Ease of use, trustworthiness and consistency have been the main reasons for establishing the Mobile Electronic Transaction (MeT) initiative, which has created a framework for handling secure mobile electronic transactions via a mobile device whilst ensuring a consistent user experience independent of device, service and network.

The object of the MeT initiative

The object of the MeT initiative is to combat the challenges of keeping these facilities convenient and easy to use, a solution developed through evolving WAP with WAP Identity Module(WIM), Wireless Transport Layer Security (WTLS) and Wireless Public Key Infrastructure (W-PKI). Above all. M-Commerce is about content and giving users access to a myriad of mobile services. Contents can range from news to directory services, directions, shopping and ticketing services, entertainment services, financial services and so forth.

Possible sources of revenue include subscription fees, transaction fees, share of traffic charges collected by mobile operator, and various forms of sponsorship such as advertising, referral fees, and commissions. They can be combined in a number of different ways. However, one can generally distinguish between the following core business models:

User Fee Business Models - charge users for the content they access.

1. Subscription Fees
2. Usage Fees  Shopping Business Modes - similar to e-shopping. Using the mobile internet offers those selling companies an opportunity to reach a somewhat different audience.

• • Marketing Business Models - mobile marketing is knowing your customer and leveraging that knowledge to deliver highly relevant messages; namely, messages that reflect their personal preferences as well as possibly their locations or other contextual attributes.  Improved Efficiency Models - mobile Internet can cuts costs and improve customer satisfaction. It help make the company's operation less human intensive, while offering customers the added convenience of anywhere, anytime access to a number of banking, trading and shopping services.
  • Advertising Business Models - mobile advertising can present the users with ads that are directly relevant to queries they enter - when the user is looking for a place to eat, present him or her with coupons for nearby restaurants. Different types of incentives can help make users more receptive to promotional messages. Revenue-Sharing Business Models - generally involves collecting payment from the users and redistributing it across the different parties involve in delivering the services. In Japan 3G had further enhance i-Mode in M-Commerce, i-Mode was able to ramp up from 0 to 30 million customers in less than 3 years.

It suggests that when all the right ingredients are in place, M-Commerce can gain rapid acceptance. Recommendation Technology professionals nationwide have been buzzing about the advent of 3G, or third-generation, wireless technology. While 3G is a genuine technological breakthrough and certain to change the way business communicates, there is nothing mysterious about it. 3G is simply a faster, richer extension of existing wireless technology. Today, nearly 133 million Americans depend on a wireless phone and, according to research by Cahners In-Stat Group, an estimated.

Wireless technology

5 billion wireless-enabled phones, handheld computers and other devices will be in use globally by 2004. Wireless technology began with analog signals (first-generation) and advanced to digital (second-generation), the current standard. 3G is essentially the wireless industry's version of broadband Internet services, offering faster speeds and more mobile applications. Faster speeds enable enhanced messaging, e-mail with attachments, enriched gaming, video and audio clips, high-speed Internet browsing and digital imaging. These are common applications in the wired desktop world.

In short, 3G allows people to take more of their personal technology and business tools with them when they're away from home or the office. Many have questioned the market for 3G wireless services, and it's a valid question. It will be incumbent on wireless carriers to prove new devices and applications are worth the extra money. There will be a strong return on investment for 3G. There is tremendous value in simply extending existing desktop business applications, such as e-mail, intranets and customer account information, to the wireless world. But 3G is much more than mobile e-mail.

The introduction of digital imaging will allow "on-location" professionals, such as insurance adjusters and Realtors, to do their jobs faster and more efficiently. Imagine the sales advantage for a Realtor who is able to show a home buyer photos of a potential dream home the moment it goes on the market. Or for an insurance adjuster who can transmit photos of an accident to the home office to secure a settlement in minutes. Other new applications will use global positioning system (GPS) chips to support location-based services, making it possible to identify the location of a cell phone when it is turned on.

Businesses will be able to use this technology to track their fleets and personnel, thereby boosting efficiency. Imagine a situation where you are about to make an important Sales Presentation. You realize that you have brought the wrong presentation slides and you call up your colleague. She immediately emails the file to your 3G terminal and you transfer it to your laptop. Another scenario is having video-conferencing and sending character-based messages simultaneously with your clients.

What is 3G technology

These scenarios are possible with the availability of 3G technology. But what is 3G technology and how will it revolutionise current HR and commercial practices? A relook at Workplace Dynamics The WearTel (TM) phone, for example, uses EyeTap technology to allow individuals to see each other's point of view. Therefore, the miniature laser light source inside the WearTel eyeglass-based phone scans across the retinas of both parties and swaps the image information, so that each person sees what the other person is looking at.

This technology will enable the HR manager to have a better understanding of how to motivate and reward their employees as personal documentaries of their work-life will be shot from a first-person perspective. HR managers can provide better advice about handling difficult customers or closing sales. However, the immediate benefit is that this technology can be used as a training tool. The reason is that privacy laws have to be reviewed and updated in order that customers are adequately informed of this technology. Mobile Job Interview.

With an attached camera in a mobile device, job interviews can be conducted as video-conferencing between the HR manager and the potential job applicant. Initially, the job candidate can answer basic questions like his highest qualification and salary expectation by pressing the key-pad of the mobile device. If successful, he can proceed to have a face-to-face interview. Mobile Advertising 3G technology will enable advertisers to send more sophisticated and customized permission-based advertisements to their target audience's mobile devices.

This will be an improvement from the current SMS. There will be a convergence between the internet and wireless technology as the target audience can request that more product information be sent as email. It is unlikely that these services will provide a sustainable advantage over the long run but they will shape the brand perception of an operator at the initial stage of the introduction of wireless Internet services. However, with the rise of m-commerce, 'business-webs 'will become even more powerful as every customer will become linked into the web.

3G solution can help doctors and nurses remotely access and update patient records. In emergency situation, the doctor can even use the video function on 3G mobile system to observe the patient's situation while the patient is at home and give guidance to the patients family member prior arrival to the hospital. Here we can see, it will improve productivity, reduce administrative overhead and enhance overall service quality. This will enable business customers to enhance productivity, improve customer service and otherwise create a competitive advantage.

Customers will initially access 3G networks using laptops with a modem card, PDAs such as the Palm Pilot and devices that look like a wireless phone, but offer a greater range of features. The Palm-type device is an obvious choice for customers who want to consolidate their information in a single device. The laptop and modem card solution makes sense to business travelers who spend time in an airport. Regardless of changing technology trends, wireless is here to stay, and 3G represents the next "great leap forward" in its development.

Conclusion

Competitive advantage in 3G will come from the ability to recognize that mobility and location-based information are critical for success. There will be millions of users making billions of transactions every day, from real time video to checking horoscopes and weather information. The mobile phone is already part of everyday life with penetration rates rising to 70 per cent and more in many countries, and their appeal will grow, driven by the way consumers construct their own identity.

3G products and services will facilitate and support existing lifestyles and routines, with diversity, personal choice, a balanced efficiency and enjoyment. Nokia sees the largest initial demand for 3G as a highly integrated dual-mode terminal capable of supporting the Mobile Internet, new and existing applications, advanced IP-based services, Multimedia Messaging, Multi-mode radio and open standards and is at the forefront of developing 3G technology.