Bonding Mobile and the Web

The Open Mobile Terminal Platform (OMTP) has embarked upon an ambitious campaign called BONDI to promote Web 2.0 services on mobile devices. Major telecom players including 3 Group, AT&T, T-Mobile, Telenor, Telefonica, Telecom Italia, and Vodafone, are spearheading this effort. At this juncture, My Techbox Online decided to quiz OMTP about this initiative. Tim Haysom, chief marketing officer, OMTP discusses an array of issues. Excerpts from an exclusive interview with My Techbox Online:

What kind of market demand do you see for Web services on mobile phones?

Over the recent years, the Internet has seen a massive increase in the use of so-called Web 2.0 services. These are the types of services which rely on a two-way flow of information between the computing device and the Web server. The demand for these services has increased, in the main, due to the ease of use and flexibility, which is available to the consumer and also through the ease of service development. The adoption of Web 2.0 technologies onto mobile devices, as has been seen with the Apple iPhone and some other devices, will be huge. According to Juniper Research, the global market for Mobile Web 2.0 will be worth $22.4bn in 2013, up from $5.5bn currently.

Do you think consumers will buy data services in major mobile markets like China and India in the developing world?

Yes. Data services and Web services are not and will not be restricted to the developed world. The ability for a developer to simply develop an application that can reach users of almost any mobile device will enable an ecosystem that will stimulate service creation both for developed communities and the developing ones. It is not for OMTP to predict the successful services, but the provision of a consistent and secure Web services interface (as BONDI will deliver) will enable the developer communities and stimulate data services around the globe.

Don't you think BONDI and OMTP have some overlapping objectives?

BONDI is an initiative of the OMTP. It fits clearly within the OMTP ambit of increasing the use of data services and making life simpler and easier for the customer.

What's going to be the role of initial member companies that are leading the BONDI initiative?

OMTP is an operator-led forum and the BONDI initiative has strong support from that operator community. Many other OMTP members are already heavily involved. The role of the initial member companies has been to create a framework for an appropriate architecture and security model and to get buy-in from the wider OMTP and mobile community.

What factors would spur the demand for mobile Web services?

The BONDI initiative is all about opening up a consistent Web services interface on mobile devices, which can be used by the whole development community. BONDI will also put in place the necessary security components to protect the mobile user from the potential of abuse from malicious services. This pairing of enablement and protection will allow for the development of great new mobile Web services, and also instill trust in the user. If the user has access to high-quality services and has trust in the services they use, then the demand for them will increase.

How would you promote BONDI objectives?

The objectives of BONDI are to provide a consistent and secure Web services interface that can be used by developers across multiple platforms and operators. These two aspects (consistency and security) provide the keystones to enabling a huge ecosystem for the mobile Web 2.0. OMTP is working across the mobile and Internet industries to promote the BONDI objectives and recommendations and to stimulate the necessary standardization, which will take place outside of OMTP.