Commercial Models and Sample Utilizations of Mobile Technologies

Commercial Models and Sample Utilizations of Mobile Technologies

Michael Wakahe on behalf of Computer Society of Kenya (CSK)

ICT TrainingNzoia Sugar Company

Dec 2011

Table of Contents

• SMS Commercially Explained• USSD Commercially Explained• Mobile Applications Commercially Explained• Mobile Websites Commercially Explained• Case Study: Information Dissemination• Case Study: Data Gathering• Case Study: Tracking of People & Goods

SMS Commercially Explained

• Bulk SMS & Short Codes

• Bulk SMS are prepaid

• Short codes charge subscriber above normal

rates

• Revenue collected by network operator

SMS Commercially Explained

• Operator has revenue share with service provider

• Service provider may in turn have revenue share with content provider

• Taxes are applicable• Service provider pays operator to maintain

short code connectivity

USSD Commercially Explained

• USSD setup is similar to short code• Service provider incurs cost to maintain link to

operator & to rent USSD code• Prepaid USSD - cost incurred by network

subscriber• Postpaid USSD - cost incurred by service

provider• No revenue share with Safaricom Kenya

Mobile Applications Commercially Explained

• Most common distribution model for apps -

app store

• Usually consumer is charged on downloading

• Can integrate with in-app billing systems

• Advertisements can be placed in application

Mobile Applications Commercially Explained

• Example mobile advertising engines: Google Admob and Apple iAd

• The Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) provides and maintains a number of mobile advertising guidelines

• These include code of conduct for mobile marketing, consumer best practices, and other resources for advertisers and publishers.

Mobile Websites Commercially Explained

• Service provider hosts website software like

traditional website

• Created with traditional web authoring tools &

developer IDEs

• Revenue can also be received through

advertisements

Case Study - Information Dissemination

• Need to communicate to a large number of people in a bursty or continuous manner

• Bulk SMS can be programmed to send messages to preconfigured phone numbers

• Mobile application can have continuous ticker feed

• Mobile application & website can refresh server side information

Case Study - Data Gathering

• Example is Sales Transaction Capture• Mobile App can have form with relevant fields

e.g. weight of produce & price• User submits data which is sent over Internet

to server• User receives confirmation via SMS• Management can monitor

Case Study - Tracking of People & Goods

• Example is track vehicle carrying sugarcane

• Driver carrying phone that is GPS enabled

• Phone frequently reports location to server via

GPRS

• If driver deviates, (s)he gets an SMS warning

Michael Wakahe, Software Developer & Entrepreneur

Shujaa Solutions Ltdwww.shujaa.co.ke

[email protected]

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