Imagine the projected world of advanced services, being anywhere, any time. Carriers would like to give subscribers access to voice, video, instant messaging, video conferencing, social networking, Web apps – all easily and intuitively available regardless of which device and easily interoperable with users on other carriers’ networks. Making that happen sounds complex and difficult – and well, it is. But some are working to crack the problem, because otherwise the immense mobile broadband opportunity could be hamstrung at “big” rather than “massive.”
Consider the fact that connected consumer electronics sales are expected to exceed 100 million units annually by 2013. These are everything from handsets, netbooks, networked TVs, Blu-ray players, gamers, cameras, home media servers and set-top boxes.
However, diverse user scenarios create multiple challenges for technology developers, according to Kurt Scherf, vice president and principal analyst at Parks Associates, including interface design as well as connectivity.
"Key consumer trends are aligning to drive this market," he said. "Connected CE use cases will include access to many different services and types of content, including video, gaming, user-generated content, music, social networks, and customer care. Interface design will be an important area as users will need easy access to their content and services."
VON sat down with Barry Downs, CEO of FeedHenry, to discuss the issue. FeedHenry is an Irish company that develops dynamic widget platforms for carriers and handset-makers so that they can deliver interoperable services and Web content. The FeedHenry platform integrates with a Web services layer provided by Oracle Corp. and is pre-integrated to Oracle's communications products suite (a SIP-based application server and services gatekeeper) for the enablement and delivery of advanced IMS services. Downs said the platform development comes from a place of passion for the carrier.
“What we need is an end-to-end widget platform for complex telecom services,” said Downs. “Plenty of companies can provide widget services and content-style services on the Web. But the challenge for telecoms carriers is very different.”