4G Technology

What is fourth generation (4G) mobile?

4G, an acronym for Fourth-Generation Communications System, is a term used to describe the next step in wireless communications. A 4G system will be able to provide a comprehensive IP solution where voice, data and streamed multimedia can be given to users on an "Anytime, Anywhere" basis, and at higher data rates than previous generations. There is no formal definition for what 4G is; however, there are certain objectives that are projected for 4G. These objectives include: that 4G will be a fully IP-based integrated system. This will be achieved after wired and wireless technologies converge and will be capable of providing 100 Mbit/s and 1 Gbit/s speeds both indoors and outdoors, with premium quality and high security. 4G will offer all types of services at an affordable cost.

4G is being developed to accommodate the quality of service (QoS) and rate requirements set by forthcoming applications like wireless broadband access, Multimedia Messaging Service, video chat, mobile TV, High definition TV content, DVB, minimal service like voice and data, and other streaming services for "anytime-anywhere". 4G in principle will allow high-quality smooth video transmission. It will enable fast downloading of full-length songs or music pieces in real time.

The business of 4Gmobile is predicted to be huge. By 2009, this 4Gmobile market will be over $400B. This 4Gmobile technology will dominate the wireless communications, and its converged system will replace most conventional wireless infrastructure.

What will the data rates be for 4G?

At present the download speed for mobile Internet connections range from 9.6 kbit/s for 2G cellular, up to 200 kbit/s (nominally 384 kbps) for the new Vodafone 3G service (mentioned above). However, in actual use the data rates are usually slower, especially in crowded areas, or when the network is "congested".

4G mobile data transmission rates are planned to be up to 20 megabits per second That’s about 10-20 times faster than standard ASDL services.

In terms of connection seeds, 4G will be about 200 times faster than present 2G mobile data rates, and about 10 times faster than 3G broadband mobile. 3G data rates are currently 2Mbit/sec, which is very fast compared to 2G's 9.6Kbit/sec.

WiFi Technology

What is Wi-Fi?

WiFi is a wireless technology brand owned by the Wi-Fi Alliance intended to improve the operating of wireless products. Common applications for Wi-Fi include Internet and VoIP phone access, gaming, and network connectivity for consumer electronics such as mobile phones, laptops, game consoles, MP3 players and PDA's. Wi-Fi also allows connectivity which enables devices to connect directly with each other. This connectivity mode is useful in consumer electronics and gaming applications.

It's faster and has a greater range than Bluetooth, and is ideal for home or office connectivity. In the near future, wireless networking may become so widespread that you can access the Internet just about anywhere at any time, without using wires. The easy access of emails for business orientated individuals is also a bonus, as urgent messages can be downloaded on the go once the email settings are configured on to the WiFi enabled handset.


The mobile phones market has received a lot of attention lately as several operators across the world have launched various types of handsets which allow users to connect to the Internet via Wi-Fi, the iPhone being the ultimate example.

Mobile VoIP

A new study from a London-based research firm claims that mobile voice-over-IP will become a mainstream form of communication by the end of 2012, based on rapid growth of voice-over-3G wireless users. Disruptive Analysis said its research shows mobile VoIP will eclipse fixed-mobile convergence services that use dual-mode handsets with voice-over-WiFi capabilities.

VoIP has become popular largely because of the cost advantages to consumers over traditional telepone networks. VoIP calls can be placed across the Internet. Most Internet connections are charged using a flat fee structure. Using the Internet connection for both data traffic and voice calls can allow consumers to get rid of one monthly payment. In addition, VoIP plans do not charge a per-minute fee for long distance. For International calling, the monetary savings to the consumer from switching to VoIP technology can be enormous.

Today, Skype, TruPhone and a company called Fring already offer VoIP over 3G smartphones and 3G-enabled laptops allowing users to communicate with other VoIP users via the Internet. This service is expected to provide customers with a cheaper alternative to connecting calls via GSM in the near future.

HSDPA

High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) is a 3G (third generation) mobile telephony communications protocol in the High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA) family, which allows networks based on Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) to have higher data transfer speeds and capacity. Current HSDPA deployments support down-link speeds of 1.8, 3.6, 7.2 and 14.4 Mbit/s. Further speed increases are planned for the near future.

Email open rates via mobile jump 51pc in first half; Knotice

Mobile emails are being opened via mobile

While the open rates for email via mobile devices jumped significantly in the first half, other findings in the report point to the need for emails to be optimized for mobile, according to a new report from Knotice.

The number of emails opened on a mobile device jumped 51 percent in the first half of 2011 compared with the last quarter of 2010, according to Knotice’s Mobile Email Opens Report: First Half 2011. The results also show that only 3.09 percent of the 701 million emails reviewed for the report were opened on both mobile devices and a desktop device.

“The percentage of emails opened on a mobile device jumped by 51 percent from the fourth quarter of 2010 to the first half of 2011,” said Patti Renner, director of marketing at Knotice, Akron, OH. “Not only does this show an increase in mobile device adoption rates overall, it also shows that people are increasingly using the convenience of mobile to manage day-to-day tasks, such as checking email. 

“Email continues to anchor many direct digital marketing campaigns, so as more and more mobile devices find their way into consumers’ hands, those mobile email open rates will continue to climb,” she said. “This creates an opportunity for brands to stand out, to optimize for mobile and connecting with consumers on a more personal level.”

One chanceBy operating system, iOS and Android lead with 12.78 percent of first-half mobile email opens taking place on an iPhone, 3.92 percent on iPad and 3.15 percent on Android.

Some marketers do not optimize email for mobile because recipients can reopen an email at their desk if the mobile email experience is poor. However, the reports results suggest that recipients do not reopen emails on desktop if the email rendered poorly in mobile.

Of the 3.09 percent of emails that were opened on both mobile and desktop devices, one-third were opened on mobile first then viewed via desktop later.

“We were surprised that only three percent of commercial emails were opened on both mobile device and desktop, with only a third of those opened the email on mobile first,” Ms. Renner said. “Those numbers were lower than we anticipated which is interesting.

“It really knocks much of the steam out of the argument that an email designed specifically for desktop viewing will be ‘saved for later’ if it renders poorly on mobile,” she said.

“The big message here is that marketers only have one shot with each email sent. Consumers have more choices when it comes to tools for engagement, so marketers have to be ready with a great email experience regardless.”

Click activityThe results also show that click-to-open rates for emails on mobile devices are far lower than the rate for desktop devices. 

By industry, the click to open rates – a measure of click activity within the email once opened – were 18.99 percent for consumer products, 14.32 for financial services and 11.57 percent for health care.

The lower rates compared to desktop suggests the need for email that is optimized for mobile since it may be difficult for mobile users to take action on emails that have limited functionality when viewed via a mobile device.

“While mobile email opens rates are strong, the click-to-open rates lag far behind,” Ms. Renner said.

“Even if a person can open the email, the real measure is what they do once it’s open," she said.

Webinar on Dec. 7: Mobile Outlook 2012: Up, Down or Flat?

Mobile advertising and marketing is arguably the fastest-growing digital marketing medium, shaped rapidly by evolving consumer usage of mobile devices for media, content consumption and engagement with promotions, advertising and marketing.

In this free hour-long webinar on Wednesday, Dec. 7 at 2 p.m. ET, senior executives from Yamaha, Deloitte, NBC, AKQA and Hipcricket will discuss what to expect in mobile advertising, marketing and media in 2012 – a year which might prove to be the tipping point for mobile, given that one out of two phones in consumer hands are expected to be Web- and application-enabled. Hipcricket, Seattle, is the sponsor.

“That said, the economy and the ongoing debt crises worldwide are set to influence the trajectory of advertising and marketing spend in 2012, with advertisers expected to gravitate toward mediums that generate better ROI,” he said. “The question is, will mobile gain a larger slice of the marketing pie and what will it take for that to happen?”

Sony invites gamers to test skills

This webinar is one in a series produced by Mobile Marketer to inform and educate marketers on the ins and outs of mobile. Like its predecessors, the Dec. 7 effort will also focus on mobile’s role next year to drive traffic to other channels.

Themes discussed in the webinar:   What brands, agencies, publishers and retailers can expect in the year ahead
 Which mobile channel, if any, will be the breakout star in 2012
 Surprises ahead and how to act or react
 Lessons learned from 2011
 Crafting strategy for next year to include mobile in a multichannel context
 Three best practice for mobile advertising and marketing in 2012

Panelists:
Jeff Hawley, director of the customer experience group, Yamaha Corporation of America
Tina Unterlaender, account director for mobile, AKQA, New York
Eric Harber, chief operating officer, Hipcricket
James Gaffar, product developer, ad solutions, mobile & emerging media, NBC Universal
Jennifer Lee, senior manager of the retailer and distribution practice at Deloitte 

Moderator:
Giselle Tsirulnik, deputy managing editor, Mobile Marketer and Mobile Commerce Daily

Which mobile channel will be the breakout star in 2012?

HTML5 versus apps

Industry experts agree that the mobile Web will be the breakout mobile channel in 2012. 

More than 90 percent of mobile phones shipped today have access to the mobile Web through a browser. HTML5 specifically, gives brands a lot to work with, in terms of the capabilities that can be built into a mobile site.

“[The 2012 breakout mobile channel] won't be a shiny object,” said Jeff Hasen, chief marketing of Hipcricket, Kirkland, WA. “The newest innovation will get the buzz but won't be widely adopted immediately if ever. 

“My bet for breakout star is the mobile Web,” he said. “Black Friday and Cyber Monday have produced a tripling of activity and shows that we're out of the early adopter phase. 

The debate goes on

There has been an ongoing debate regarding HTML5 versus mobile applications. 

Marci Troutman, CEO of Siteminis, Atlanta, believes that the opportunity for brands on the mobile Web surpasses that of mobile apps.

“I believe that the mobile Web will be the breakout mobile channel in 2012,” Ms. Troutman said. “Businesses are realizing that apps are for their dedicated customers and need to be more personal than just having an app that does the same functions as the mobile Web.  

“The abilities through the mobile Web are amazing, and can capture, in most cases, 85 percent or more of what an app can accomplish,” she said. “For instance, we can deliver augmented reality on the mobile Web.  

“As phones get smarter, mobile strategies change to accommodate and the mobile Web becomes what the Internet became in the 90’s, the standard for anyone doing business. There is no reason to pay an up charge to an app store, or pay for app store marketing to ensure you are in the top 10 of a search when you can utilize the search buys that are already being spent on the Internet (PC browsers) for the mobile browsers.”