As the move to replace the ageing 15 year old SMSC messaging infrastructure intensifies Openmind Networks is leading a workshop and two day conference for mobile operators on how best to migrate from legacy networks to intelligent SMS, MMS and IMS router based messaging networks.

Conference - The Next Generation Mobile Messaging Forum

The conference will offer attending delegates key insights to understand next generation messaging with practical examples, profit from expert case studies delivered by key industry players, learn best strategies to migrate from legacy to next generation messaging platforms, and discover how to maximize ARPU with next generation messaging.

Key Conference Deliverables

• Understand Next Generation Messaging with practical examples
• Profit from expert case studies delivered by key industry players
• Discover how to maximize ARPU with Next Generation Messaging
• Learn best strategies to migrate from legacy to next generation messaging platforms
• Look beyond Instant Messaging in the move towards converged networks
• Evaluate interoperability standards as a precursor to unified messaging

Workshop: Paving the Migration Path to Next Generation Messaging: Key Success Factors for Revenue Growth

In addition to the conference which is being led by industry professionals such as Andrew Tobin, Head of Messaging Platforms at O2, Openmind Networks’ CEO, Alex Duncan and VP Product Management, Cathal Fitzpatrick will lead a pre-conference workshop. The workshop will focus on practical, hands-on analysis of the mobile messaging industry and presentations by experts in the field of next generation messaging. This highly interactive and practical workshop will also offer insight into some of the most promising markets and applications.

Workshop Goals

To provide participants with a thorough understanding of what Next Generation Messaging is. Each session will have clearly defined objectives and will enable participants to take away new skills that they can apply in their daily work.

Product Demonstrations

Openmind Networks will demonstrate Traffic Control, its industry leading next generation messaging platform and its comprehensive suite of applications to demonstrate how it:

1. Replaces store & forward SMSCs with a high performance router built on an open hardware & operating system
2. Delivers sufficient capacity to handle all messaging traffic on one distributed system
3. Enables interception & routing of off-net originating mobile MT traffic
4. Provides triggering of anti-spam & other filters to protect messaging services
5. Supports a suite of value added applications that personalise messaging services
6. Includes an open API to allow customised application development in-line with Service Oriented Architecture principles

SMS Router Background: While SMS-C capex is flattening and declining, SMS router capex is gaining momentum

According to industry analysts OVUM although SMS messaging traffic will more than double in the next five years, from 1,200 billion messages in 2005 to 2,800 billion plus messages in 2010, SMS-C capex for the next five years will be flat to declining. As shown in the table below, SMS-C capex will be maintained at €480–560 million from 2005 to 2010. However, SMS router capex will more than double to €175 million in 2010, from only €78 million in 2005.

According to Portio Research, from a start of 2.65 billion subscribers at the end of 2006, by end of 2012 approximately two thirds (4.81 billion) of the world’s population (7 billion) will have a mobile handset. 50% will have a handset by end of 2009.

Key data points:

• In terms of absolute subscriber volume, China emerged as the largest mobile market in the world, followed by the US and Russia.
• India is expected to witness the strongest growth in the future, with the subscriber base increasing at a CAGR of 22.25% during 2006-2012.
• Asia Pacific region will account for the majority of the growth which will account for 50% of worldwide subscriber figures by 2008.
• This subscriber base will be characterised by low income groups in China and India and followed by Bangladesh, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Pakistan.
• Western and Northern Europe as well as North America have witnessed consolidation and may increase as marketing intensifies and margins decrease. Non-voice value-added services will be the key driver in the region from 2006 onwards.
• Central and Eastern Europe emerged as the fastest growing markets during 20-02-2206, with the number of subscribers increasing at a CAGR of 36.45%. Russia and Ukraine were the fastest growing mobile destinations in the region during the same period.

As demonstrated in the diagram above, message volumes are still growing but revenues are flat. Adding services to retain and attract new customers is complex, slow and expensive.

As a result mobile operators:

• Are facing increasing operational costs due to the inability to provide capacity on demand for messaging services.

• Are finding it difficult to differentiate their service offerings from those of their competitors.

• Are facing the threat of spam and scam attacks on their customers.

• Are constrained by the lack of innovation and support for legacy platforms from messaging vendors.

• Are finding succession planning for next generation networks to be very complex and difficult.

Expert Speaker Panel

Xavier Perret
Vice President Communication,
Suite and Digital Advertising
ORANGE

Patrick George
Vice President, Marketing and Product Management
BELGACOM ICS

Andreas Kaare Fjeld
Product Manager
TELENOR

Wooyong Choi
Senior Manager, Core Network Department
SK TELECOM

Andrew Tobin
Head of Messaging Platforms
O2

Selva Aydiner
Head of Mobile Internet
TURKCELL

Paulo Simões
Senior Service Researcher
Service Management Department
TMN

Roberto Gavazzi
Client Area Manager
TELECOM ITALIA

Mark Cataldo
Chair, Technical Plenary
OMA
Senior Advisor
ORANGE – FRANCE TELECOM

Mikko Mattinen
Head of Content Services
ELISA

Ervins Kampans
Head of Technology Research
LATVIJAS MOBILAIS

Roderick Bruggisser
Network Analyst, Core and VAS Engineering
SUNRISE

Roberto Procopio
Manager, NGN Innovation Project
TELECOM ITALIA

Oliver Roberts
Senior Manager Strategic Alliances
MICROSOFT

Colin Mallett
e-Commerce and Mobility Consulting
FULVENS

Cathal Fitzpatrick
Vice President Product Management
OPENMIND NETWORKS

Andrew Bud
CEO
mblox

Heikki Martinoja
Director, Content Business Management
TELIASONERA

Caroline Sexton
Community Product Manager,
Access and Advanced Messaging
VODAFONE