Abstract
As IP-based 3G+ mobile networks increasingly become available, attention in research is shifting towards middleware and service platform-related issues (Killström et al. 2006; Popescu-Zeletina et al. 2003). At the same time, web services technology and underlying service-oriented architecture have enhanced flexibility and interoperability in service development in the fixed Internet and traditional IT world. A logical next step in making mobile services deployment easier, faster and more efficient would be to apply web services technology to the mobile domain in the form of mobile web services (MWS) (Pashtan 2005). MWS offers important opportunities with regard to providing generic service elements like charging, authentication, authorization, accounting, context information and billing. As such, the technology would compete with IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), a standard originating from the telecommunications domain. While IMS strengthens the operators’ current strategic position, MWS can be offered by any business actor and may therefore be used by content and service providers to disrupt the industry’s current structure. As yet, it is unclear whether or not MWS offers a feasible alternative, as it is still in the early stages of its development. In this paper we explore critical design issues in the technology domain, as part of wider business model research. We build on earlier work regarding business models for mobile data services (De Reuver et al. 2006; Haaker et al. 2006). Based on a literature survey, we suggest that critical design issues in MWS business models include overcoming the constraints and limitations of mobile devices and networks; using the SIM card model or web services-based mechanisms for user authentication; user profile management; security; billing and charging; securing an open technical architecture; the server–client model; interoperability mechanisms between IMS and MWS; and the role division regarding authentication, security, user profile management and billing/charging provisioning. A small-scale survey among 29 academic and industrial experts reflects a general concern for most of these design issues.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Ahmad A, Chandler R, Dharmakhikari A A, Sengupta U (2003) SIM-Based WLAN Authentication for Open Platforms. Technology @ Intel Magazine, August 2003.
Ali Eldin A M T (2006) Private Information Sharing Under Uncertainty: Dynamic Consent Decision-Making Mechanisms. Unpublished dissertation, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands.
Alt R, Zimmermann H-D (2001) Preface: Introduction to Special Section – Business Models. Electronic Markets 11 (1): 3–9.
AtosOrigin (2006) Meeting the billing challenge for the Telecom Industry. [Electronic Version]. AtosOriging White Paper. http://www.atosorigin.com/NR/rdonlyres/C5BDE4DF-13F6-4EB3-86A0-3519F46DC958/0/wp_telco_billing.pdf.
Berger S, McFaddin S, Narayanaswami C, Raghunath M (2003) Web Services on Mobile Devices – Implementation and Experience. Paper presented at the Fifth IEEE Workshop on Mobile Computing Systems & Applications, Montery, CA.
Bouwman H, MacInnes I (2006, January 4–7) Dynamic Business Model Framework for Value Webs. Paper presented at the 39th Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, Big Island, Hawaii.
Camarillo G, Garcia-Martin M A (2006) The 3G IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS). Merging the Internet and the Cellular Worlds. Wiley.
Cheng S-T, Liu J-P, Kao J-L, Chen C-M (2002) A New Framework for Mobile Web Services. Paper presented at the 2002 Symposium on Applications and the Internet, Nara City, Japan.
Chesbrough H, Rosenbloom R S (2002) The Role of the Business Model in Capturing Value from Innovation: Evidence from Xerox Corporation’s Technology Spin-Off Companies. Industrial and Corporate Change 11(3): 529–555.
Chu H-H, You C-W, Teng C-M (2004) Challenges: Wireless Web Services. Paper presented at the Tenth International Conference on Parallel and Distributed Systems, Newport Beach, CA.
Cuevas A, Moreno J I, Vidales P, Einsiedler H (2006) The IMS Service Platform: A Solution for Next-Generation Network Operators To Be More Than Bit Pipes. IEEE Communications Magazine, 44 (8): 75–81.
De Reuver M, Bouwman H, Haaker T (2006) Testing Critical Design Issues and Critical Success Factors During the Business Model Life Cycle. Paper presented at the 17th European Regional ITS Conference, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Faber E, Ballon P, Bouwman H, Haaker T, Rietkerk O, Steen M (2003, June 9–11) Designing Business Models for Mobile ICT Services. Paper presented to Workshop on Concepts, Metrics and Visualization, at the 16th Bled Electronic Commerce Conference e-Transformation, Bled Slovenia.
Farley P, Capp M (2005) Mobile Web Services. BT Technology Journal, 23 (2): 202–213.
Forrester (2006) The European Mobile Landscape 2006: Forrester.
Gehlen G, Pham L (2005, January 8–10) Mobile Web Services for Peer-to-Peer Applications. Paper presented at the Second IEEE Consumer Communications and Networking Conference, Las Vegas, NV.
Haaker T, Faber E, Bouwman H (2006) Balancing Customer and Network Value in Business Models for Mobile Services. International Journal of Mobile Communications 4 (6): 645–661.
Jenkins G (2004) GSM White paper. Brilliant Past, Bright Future. GSM White paper by Deutsche Bank. http://www.3gamericas.org/PDFs/gsm_whitepaper_feb2004.pdf.
Killström U, Mrohs B, Immonen O, Pitkänen O, Galli L, De Reuver M, et al. (2006) A New Mobile Service Architecture Addresses Future Mobile Business Environments. Paper presented at the Wireless World Research Forum Meeting, Heidelberg, Germany.
Levenshteyn R, Fikouras I (2006) Mobile Services Interworking for IMS and XML WebServices. IEEE Communications Magazine, 44 (9): 80–87.
Limbu D K, Wah L E, Yushi C (2004) Wireless Web Services Clients Development – Using Web Services Standards and J2ME Technology. Synthesis Journal 5: 151–162.
Niemegeers I G, Heemstra de Groot S M (2003) Research Issues in Ad-Hoc Distributed Personal Networks. Wireless Personal Communications 26 (2–3): 149–167.
Nokia, Sun. (2004) Deploying Mobile Web Services Using Liberty Alliance’s Identity Web Services Framework (ID-WSF).
North D C (1990) Institutions, Institutional Change and Economic Performance. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Pashtan A (2005) Mobile Web Services. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Pilioura T, Tsalgatidou A, Hadjiefthymiades S (2003) Scenarios of Using Web Services in M-Commerce. ACM SIGecom Exchanges 3 (4): 28–36.
Popescu-Zeletina R, Arbanowskib S, Fikourasc I, Gasbarroned G, Geblere M, Henninge S, et al (2003). Service Architectures for the Wireless World. Computer Communications 26: 19–25.
Srirama S N, Jarke M, Prinz W (2006) Mobile Web Service Provisioning. Paper presented at the Advanced International Conference on Telecommunications and International Conference on Internet and Web Applications and Services, Guadeloupe, France.
Tian M, Voigt T, Naumowicz T, Ritter H, Schiller J (2004) Performance Considerations for Mobile Web Services. Computer Communications 27: 1097–1105.
UMTS Forum (2003) Strategic Considerations for IMS – the 3G Evolution.
Weill P, Vitale M R (2001) Place to Space: Migrating to E-business Models. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press.
Acknowledgments
The work presented in this paper was carried out within the Freeband User Experience project (www.freeband.nl). We would like to thank Timber Haaker from the Telematica Instituut and Wolter Lemstra from Delft University of Technology for their suggestions in reviewing the paper.
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2009 Physica-Verlag Heidelberg
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Reuver, M.d., Bouwman, H., Hernández, G.F. (2009). Exploring Technology Design Issues for Mobile Web Services. In: Curwen, P., Haucap, J., Preissl, B. (eds) Telecommunication Markets. Contributions to Economics. Physica, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7908-2082-9_18
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7908-2082-9_18
Published:
Publisher Name: Physica, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-7908-2081-2
Online ISBN: 978-3-7908-2082-9
eBook Packages: Business and EconomicsEconomics and Finance (R0)