Since May 18, Vodafone Greece has been airing a TV commercial that showcases the mobile video user experience supported by Bytemobile’s YouTube App Policy Control. This function for iOS devices, such as iPhones and iPads, improves video resolution and delivers a higher-quality viewing experience to mobile subscribers. On its website, Vodafone Greece demonstrates the policy control capability for its points of sale.

Vodafone Greece is one of 21 Vodafone operating companies worldwide that have deployed or contracted to deploy Bytemobile video and web optimization solutions. The TV commercial, culminating in a ‘with’ and ‘without’ video comparison, touts the iOS YouTube policy control feature as a competitive advantage of the Vodafone 3G network.

-George Tsolis

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Vodafone Group has reported its preliminary results for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2012.

Of note, 64% of data traffic across Vodafone operating company networks consists of video (35%) and web browsing (29%). Vodafone is focused on delivering a consistent video and web experience to all subscribers.

- Anna Yong

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Last night at the LTE World Summit 2012 in Barcelona, Bytemobile’s T3100 Adaptive Traffic Manager received the LTE Best Traffic Management Product Award. We would like to thank Informa and telecoms.com for this prestigious recognition, and to congratulate the other award finalists for their strong entries. Special thanks go to our board member, Rod Randall, for accepting the award on our behalf.

-Tod Bottari

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The debate continues, as mobile network operators advocate that over-the-top (OTT) content providers like Netflix should pay them for delivering their content to mobile consumers. This article by Mike Dano of FierceWireless indicates that a 1-800-Facebook type of data access is possible but highly unlikely.

However, consider this: maybe it’s not only access to content, but also quality of content (e.g., high-definition versus standard-definition video) that would compel the creation of content provider-based pricing plans. For more information, see our video, Differentiating Services with Bytemobile’s Adaptive Traffic Management. Also, please join us for our Mobile Video and LTE Webinar with Openet on May 31.

-Anna Yong

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Analysys Mason did a study of LTE pricing plans across seven countries in western Europe and concluded that “operators are aiming the service at the small number of high-end mobile customers, and positioning it as an alternative to fixed broadband rather than as an alternative to existing mobile broadband services.” The study adds that this point reflects “operators' concerns about a significant increase in data consumption.”

With Bytemobile Smart Capacity^TM solutions, mobile network operators can intelligently manage subscriber data usage based on quality of experience (QoE). For more information, see our video, Differentiating Services with Bytemobile’s Adaptive Traffic Management. Also, please join us for our Mobile Video and LTE Webinar with Openet on May 31.

-Anna Yong

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We are often asked how Bytemobile Smart Capacity^TM solutions impact LTE and other 4G networks. Please join us for a timely and informative webinar in conjunction with Openet, a global leader in policy control and subscriber management solutions – Mobile Video and LTE: Profitability Challenge or Revenue Opportunity? – on Thursday, May 31, at 8:00 a.m. PDT/11:00 a.m. EDT/4:00 p.m. BST.

-Anna Yong

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Today Bytemobile COO Chris Koopmans published a guest post in Azi Ronen’s industry blog, Broadband Traffic Management. As its title suggests, the post addresses the opportunity for mobile network operators to monetize the escalating volumes of data traffic on their networks with service differentiation based on quality of experience (QoE).

-Stacey Infantino

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Monica Paolini wrote an article titled “Don't supply and demand apply to wireless data monetization?” in which she poses the question, “Could it be that by increasing the traffic-load pressure on the network, operators will have the chance to deploy tools like QoS, prioritization, policy, or traffic optimization to a better effect − as they would give subscribers the motivation they need to open their wallets?”

We see the logic of her argument, which eventually leads to the question, “Do things have to get worse before they get better?” However, we also understand that operators may not want to risk the possibility of overloading their networks, and it’s not the “get worse” that’s the key, but rather the discernible difference between good service and bad service. Or should that be ‘premium service’ and ‘basic service’?

In order to open their wallets, consumers need to experience a palpable difference in service quality. Mobile data subscribers don’t see/feel/experience that difference when their usage is measured in data volume. 300 MB or 1 GB or 5 GB – the numbers don’t mean much in terms of how they user their mobile devices. However, HD video; smooth video play; crisp, sharp images; and faster web page downloads − all of which can be controlled via Smart Capacity^TM solutions − are highly discernible and will motivate subscribers to open their wallets.

-Anna Yong

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We found this post on Amdocs’ Data Experience Blog relevant to the challenge that all mobile network operators face in keeping their customers satisfied. Notable excerpts:

“We decided to investigate, and in a series of 140 video interviews, across 17 countries, we talked to real consumers of all ages and socio-economic groups to hear about their mobile data use, experience and what they thought of the service they were getting from their provider.

“Almost half of our interviewees felt their data experience was not quick enough, so operators investing in 4G roll outs are definitely making the right move. People will pay for a better quality of service, and if you can get them to value the experience, there’s a great opportunity to sell ‒ and monetize ‒ more data, to existing and new users.”

This is precisely the value of being able to differentiate subscriber service plans base on quality of experience (QoE) and data usage.

-Anna Yong

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The May 4 issue of Mashable includes a highly relevant article by Kate Freeman – “iPhone Owners: AT&T Chief Wishes You Had Paid for All That Data.” In it, Freeman quotes AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson: “Every additional megabyte you use in this network, I have to invest capital.”

Our response to Mr. Stephenson: “Every additional megabyte we remove from this network is less capital that you have to invest.”

Bytemobile understands that supporting mobile data usage isn’t free. That’s why our Smart Capacity^TM solutions are designed to simultaneously improve the user experience and increase network efficiency. As a result, mobile network operators are able to defer capital expenditures and reduce operating expenses while keeping their customers satisfied.

According to the Mashable article, Mr. Stephenson also regrets making unlimited data plans available for iPhones.

Bytemobile understands this, too. Our Smart Capacity solutions enable operators to create differentiated service plans – based not only on data volume, but also on quality of experience (QoE). Mobile subscribers can directly discern QoE by indicators such as amount of video stalling, speed of web page downloads, and resolution of video and web images. Subscribers’ willingness to pay for different levels of service – which are monitored and measured by these indicators – is key to operators’ monetization of all IP traffic in their network, so that data revenue and profitability grow with demand.

To learn more, see this blog post and this video demo – “Differentiating Services with Bytemobile’s Adaptive Traffic Management.”

-Anna Yong

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