Over-the-air (OTA) provisioning has been around for years,
but the speed at which handset makers are incorporating various
versions of the technology may come as a surprise.
These days, you can expect most phones are shipping with some kind of over-the-air (OTA) technology built in, but you might not know which flavor it is.
Get ready for the Acronym Express: OMA CP, which stands for the Open Mobile Alliance’s client provisioning; OMA DM, which is OMA device management; and FOTA, or firmware over-the-air update. Each represents some form of OTA, and they’re all associated with yet another acronym – mobile device management (MDM).
To get an idea of what’s what, 34% of handsets shipped worldwide in the second quarter of 2007 supported FOTA, up from 28% in the first quarter, according to Ovum. OMA CP was supported in 45% of handsets, and OMA DM was supported in 23% of handsets shipped. Industry insiders generally agree that OMA DM is emerging as the standard that will replace the legacy OMA CP. Even the CDMA camp, which historically used IOTA, or Internet-based OTA, is moving toward OMA DM.
| Global Penetration of MDM |
| Percent of Handset Shipments by Technology |
| FOTA |
34% |
| OMA CP |
45% |
| OMA DM |
23% |
Source: Ovum |
OMA DM is a cleverly written standard that provides the framework for vendors to extend it in a usable way, something that doesn’t come with every standard, says Jessica Figueros, practice leader at Ovum. It can be used across any network with any combination of technologies. OMA CP is the first-generation industry standard used for client provisioning. That’s making sure the basics of the handset are there to work on the network. FOTA involves updating the firmware and typically is used to fix bugs and update functionality.
Ovum found that both Motorola and Sony-Ericsson were much more aggressive than expected in the second quarter of 2007 in terms of launching new models that support advanced MDM. Samsung is the “laggard,” as it was even less aggressive than Ovum expected in launching new MDM-capable handsets. Nokia was a little behind expectations, but its support for MDM is growing.
The differences among handset makers come as some handset vendors integrate DM into their platforms while others typically will wait for operators to ask them to put it into specific handsets, according to Figueros.
Big operators, such as Vodafone, which uses technology from mFormation, are now in the middle of device management projects. Once vendors prove the business case, it will be easier to pick up other market opportunities. “We’re still, I think, in sort of beginning periods,” she says. “I think the priority for the vendors now is making sure it’s actually working.”
OPEN NET TIE-IN
While there are no direct correlations, some industry insiders acknowledge a connection between OMA industry efforts, such as the software components management object (SCOMO) initiative, and the open access plays by Verizon Wireless and Google. While practically any software provider can get its product onto a PC, the same does not apply to mobile phones, especially in the U.S. market, where carriers historically have controlled what gets on devices.
The SCOMO initiative, which has yet to be formally approved as a standard, involves the ability to let customization occur at the end-user level. It’s designed to take the guesswork out of the process for marketing professionals who are trying to figure out what consumers will want in their handsets 12 months down the line. The idea, in part, is to let end-users – probably at the point of sale but possibly after that – consult a “check list” of applications and pick which ones they want on their handset.
|
Grauballe: ISVs are
pressuring traditional
telecom companies
to open up. |
Along with companies like Innopath, Red Bend Software, whose share of FOTA client shipments overtook HP in the second quarter, has been a big proponent of SCOMO. In terms of Verizon Wireless’ move to open up its network next year, “I think that’s a response to what’s going on with the big ISVs [independent software vendors]. The big software providers are putting pressure on traditional players in the telecom industry to open up,” says Morten Grauballe, executive vice president of marketing at Red Bend.
The reason OMA DM is becoming popular is in many cases, carriers don’t know which devices are attached to their network, and OMA DM is a mechanism to query and find out who manufactured the device and what’s on it, he says. Based on that, the operator can take certain actions. That could play a role in the open access wireless environment of the future.
OTA IN THE FIELD
But that’s the future. For years, ISVs have been using OTA provisioning to get their products onto more handsets. PacketVideo provides its mobile operator customers with an application that gets preloaded on phones when they’re manufactured, oftentimes involving a music or video service or both, which increasingly are becoming more sophisticated.
With OTA, “it’s really helped our business that our carrier customers are now able to update these applications over the air once the devices are in the field,” says Joel Espelien, chief business officer at PacketVideo. “It gives us, I would say, flexibility, as an application provider to know that when the application is loaded on [the device] at the factory, that’s not the end of the story.”
OTA provides a chance to correct software issues that arise and also adapt and extend the application after market. PacketVideo, for example, supplies applications for Verizon Wireless’ V CAST services, which have undergone several upgrades over the years, all enabled by OTA.
| MVNOs Use It, Too |
Over-the-air (OTA) technology isn’t just for making the backend processes run more smoothly. Telespree Communications is using OTA to make things run more smoothly for end-users.
Last month, the company announced that Virgin Mobile USA had deployed Telespree’s OTA solution to automate its handset programming process. With the solution in place, end-users can pick up a Virgin Mobile USA handset at a retailer, such as Target or Wal-Mart, and call to activate their phone any time of day or night – no human customer service agents required.
The concept is no different than the self-service options available in other industries, such as the self-service kiosks that airlines offer. “We facilitate a great user experience and let the customer service themselves,” says Bill deKay, CEO at Telespree. “We involve the customer in the process, if you will, and it’s always a better experience.”
Telespree had been working on a soft launch with Virgin Mobile since July, with the MVNO making its commercial rollout in December. Telespree works with other MVNOs as well, including Movida and Embarq, with solutions tailored to each carrier’s needs.
Virgin Mobile offers prepaid minutes, but the solution is capable of operating on postpaid systems as well and can perform credit checks.
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OTA technology helped Opera get its Opera Mini 4, the newest version of its mobile Web browser, downloaded more than 1 million times in the 10 days after its worldwide debut on Nov. 7, according to Ove Ranheim, chief services strategist at Opera. The company uses OTA to distribute many of its products, from bookmarks to widgets.
This past fall, Microsoft stepped up its presence in the MDM sector, with CEO Steve Ballmer at the CTIA I.T. Show introducing the Microsoft System Center Mobile Device Manager (SCMDM) mobile-dedicated server solution designed to help companies manage Windows Mobile phones similar to Windows-based laptops and PCs. With Microsoft’s SCMDM, companies can deliver new applications using OTA.
Formotus is a beta customer with Microsoft on the new solution. With FormoPublish, enterprises can see what applications are loaded on their devices, what applications people are using and do a fair amount of remote management, according to Joseph Verschueren, co-founder and CEO of Formotus.
Formotus offers a monthly subscription service, enabling customers to deploy as many apps as they want to their devices for $35 a month or less, depending on volume. For businesses with rapidly changing environments, it’s no longer necessary to spend six months developing a complex custom application. “Those days are over,” Verschueren says, adding that Formotus can enable the deployment of an application in about half an hour.
To be sure, OTA companies are thinking big, and they’re encouraged by the latest industry initiatives toward more open networks. One of the initiatives at Smith Micro, besides focusing on the operator and enterprise, is the automotive/telematics market, according to Mandar Shinde, director, product management for MDM at Smith Micro. Cars tend to stay in the market for years, so using software to update functionality OTA can be a huge advantage for both car makers and owners.