WIRELESS/MOBILE BROADBAND NETWORK
Executive Summary
Mobile broadband has a great impact on the growth of e-business, because it will help to add number of online users and buyers, and it was made possible due to application of 3G. In addition, compare with other connectivity broadband such as Wi-Fi and satellite access systems, mobile broadband or 3G will be cheaper and widely accessible. Furthermore, the said technology is offering future enhancement such as application of WiMAX for cheaper connection and the improving industry of mobile broadband. However, mobile broadband can cause problems regarding its cost, due to the pricing strategies of manufacturers of the devices.
What is Mobile Broadband?
Mobile broadband is a sophisticated new technology which allows it users to access the Internet using laptop, mobile phones or the related gadgets, anywhere, it is a broadband connectivity that is available on the go (Executive Standard Ltd UK 2008; Top 10 Broadband 2009). Above all, mobile Internet is defined as architecture where in a user can have access to the global Internet network and it is usual services regardless of the current point of attachment to the network (Jamalipour 2003, p. 8).
How the Technology Works?
The wireless mobile Internet has been made possible by third generation or (3G) (Elliott 2004, p. 422). It allows a mobile phone system to transfer data, e-mail, and watch streaming video over a mobile phone connection. 3G technologies allows for a long-range Internet connection which covers 10 km or more and allows the user to be on the go such as walking, while riding on the train or bus (Broadband on the Go n.d.).
Due to new upgrade, the said system is also being applied to provide personal computers with a high-speed Internet connection. Thus, the vendors are almost mobile phone telecommunications such as Telstra and Vodafone which focuses on the different devices such as notebook, computers or USB modems which allows connecting to the said service (Australian PC Authority 2007).
Context
It is important to consider that e-business technologies are sensitive to the network externality characteristics, thus the success of any e-business systems is dependent on the number of the citizens as well as organizations who consume the said products (Lee 2008, p. 80). As a result, if the number of online consumer of one e-business is low, the said technology will be useless. In connection, the industry of mobile broadband is showing a great growth. According to the Market Intelligence Center or MIC, in 2008, there are more than 800 wireless mobile broadband providers which covered more than 200 countries (Economic Daily News 2008). This can also be attributed to the changing lifestyle of people; where in people don’t have much time to check their mails and other important data using the traditional way.
The said event can be accounted to the growing popularity of small and handy mobile devices, and it is supported by the growing sales of mobile devices in the world (Economic Daily News 2008). As a result, mobile commerce has been hyped as the next big wave in terms of e-business because of the big push of wireless application protocol or WAP-based hand phones to the market (Selvaratnam 2000).
Table 1 shows the huge increase or growth in the number of computers in the US that are accessing the Internet via Mobile Broadband. This shows additional number to the growing number of online people.
Table SEQ Table \* ARABIC 1 Number of U.S. Computers Accessing the Internet Via Mobile Broadband Soars 154 Percent in 2007
Number of Computers Using Mobile Broadband 2007 vs. 2006
Total US – Home/Work/University Locations
Unique Computers (000)
2006
2007
% Change
Mobile Broadband
854
2,168
154%
Source: (comScore Inc. 2008)
Brand/Options
Aside from 3G mobile broadband, there are other options that can be applied in order to improve e-business connectivity such as satellite access systems that can work in more places on Earth, however, the said option is extremely expensive to operate, and it is not suitable when the user is in transit. Another is the technology of Wi-Fi, as of now there is a growing number of Wi-Fi hotspots in the world, therefore the user can exert effort to scan for Wi-Fi hotspot wherever they go. However, it will not be applicable if the user needed it for a time that is critical for business activity (Australian PC Authorities 2008). Therefore, mobile broadband shows the greater advantage.
Future
The OVUM Strategy Analytics and Ericsson forecasted that the mobile wireless broadband users are growing much faster than the fixed or landline broadband users, or by 2012, there will be over 1.8 billion broadband Internet users in the world, and more people will be using the mobile than the landline broadband (Explain that Stuff 2008). Thus, the mobile broadband is expected to become the dominant broadband platform in the world, in this coming 2011 (Taylor 2007). This has a great impact on the e-business because it can help to cater to a vast number of online users, at the same time; it can help different e-businesses to communicate with their customers anytime.
Aside from that, there are also incoming standards that will compete with 3G. WiMAX is an emerging standard for long-range data transmission that is main goal or vision is to provide cheap mobile broadband service with the convenience of Wi-Fi (Australian PC Authorities 2008). This will help online users to be online in more often manner, thus increasing their possibility to avail of the e-business’ services and to buy e-businesses’ products.
Generation/Cost Saving Potential
Handset vendors have always been the beneficiaries of the drive of the operators to increase the number of subscriber. Operators are practicing the device subsidy. As a result, the price of the device will be around 0 above, and the average bill of materials for a handset to support mobile Internet will be about 0 to 5. Due to the said reason, operators will be having difficulty in subsidizing the service, the will deter the users from upgrading their existing device to a new mobile broadband devices (Kamal-Saadi 2006). As a result, it can affect the decision of the users or consumers to jump to the bandwagon of mobile Internet, thus it can affect the impact of e-business.
Recommendation
There is no doubt that mobile broadband created different changes, not only on the individual lives of people around the world, but also changes the entire environment of e-business. The said aspect is considered as one of the key developments or innovations in the field of e-business that can help to boost the number of online citizens who will avail products and services online.
That’s why it will be important for many businesses to focus on changing and adding some features in their official website that will be capable in the WAP or mobile Internet. By doing that, their customer will be able to connect with anywhere and anytime.
References
Australian PC Authorities 2008, How Does Mobile Broadband Work? viewed 2 February 2009, <http://www.pcauthority.com.au/Feature/96417,how-does-mobile-broadband-work.aspx>
Broadband on the Go, How Does Mobile Broadband Work? viewed 2 February 2009, <http://go-broadband.co.uk/mobile-broadband-guide/how-does-mobile-broadband-work/>
ComScore, Inc 2008, Number of U.S. Computers Accessing the Internet Via Mobile Broadband Soars 154 Percent in 2007, viewed 3 February 2009, <http://www.comscore.com/press/release.asp?press=2099>
Economic Daily News 2008, Wireless Mobile Broadband Users Growing, As the Market Scale for Devices and Mobile Entertainment Grows, Invest in Taiwan, viewed 2 February 2009, <http://investintaiwan.nat.gov.tw/en/news/200803/2 008032401.html >
Elliott, G 2004, Global Business Information: An Integrated Systems Approach, Pearson Addison Wesley
Executive Standard Ltd UK 2008, Mobile Broadband, viewed 2 February 2009, <htt p://www.raleighbikes.com/viewforum.php?f=22>
Explain that Stuff 2008, Mobile Broadband, viewed 2 February 2009, <http://w ww.explainthatstuff.com/mobilebroadband.html>
Jamalipour, A 2003, The Wireless Mobile Internet: Architectures, Protocols and Services, John Wiley and Sons
Kamal-Saadi, M 2006, Can I Afford a Mobile Broadband Handset this Christmas? AllBusiness, viewed 2 February 2009, <http://www.allbusiness.com/primary-metal-manufacturing/foundries-nonferrous/4108919-1.html>
Lee, I 2008, Electronic Business: Concept, Methodologies, Tools and Applications: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools and Applications, Idea Group Inc
Selvaratnam, S 2000, ‘Paving the Way for Mobile Commerce’, New Straits Times (July 31)
Taylor, C 2007, Mobile Broadband to Dominate in 2011, ENN, viewed 2 February 2009, <http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/10/12/mobile_broadband_res earch/>
Top 10 Broadband 2009, What is Mobile Broadband? Formula Digital Ltd. viewed 2 February 2009, <http://www.top10-broadband.co.uk/guides/what_is_mob ile_broadband/>
Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com
0 comments:
Post a Comment