| It has been hyped for years – wireless | | | | " Travel information |
| commerce and the ability to make purchases from a | | | | " Tracking services (persons and objects) |
| cell phone or mobile device. However, wireless | | | | " Mobile search engines and directories Mobile office |
| commerce still hasn’t hit full stride in the US and | | | | Mobile marketing - Mobile couponing |
| probably won’t have wide scale support and | | | | " Direct (context-sensitive) marketing |
| adoption for several years. The technology divide | | | | " Organization of mobile events |
| exists where the next generation of technology | | | | " Mobile newsletters |
| meets deployment challenges and delays. Carriers and | | | | Mobile shopping |
| device manufacturers cannot agree on standards. | | | | " Mobile purchasing of goods and services |
| And the biggest challenge that remains: waiting for | | | | |
| the industry to accept wireless commerce and let it | | | | Mobile ticketing |
| have its own space to breath in the mobile | | | | " Public transport |
| ecosystem. | | | | " Sports and cultural events |
| Over the last decade, text messaging services and | | | | " Air and rail traffic |
| mobile internet has quickly taken hold in the US. As | | | | " Mobile parking |
| of June 2008, the CTIA reports that in the US, over | | | | These mobile commerce applications are currently in |
| 75 Billion text messages are sent and received every | | | | use by retailers, banks and other companies. Other |
| month. To put that into perspective, in June 2000, | | | | wireless commerce applications are being tested |
| the number of text messages was just 12 million (not | | | | throughout several markets in the US. Having a |
| billion). How and why did mobile messaging kick into | | | | mobile commerce application is only half the challenge. |
| full gear? Wireless carriers opened their networks to | | | | Many wireless carriers require approval for some |
| inter-carrier messaging that transmits messages | | | | types of m-commerce while others have to approve |
| between mobile communications networks regardless | | | | each campaign running across their network or |
| of technologies involved (CDMA, GSM, iDen, or | | | | promoted in their storefront. These new campaigns |
| TDMA). This has lead to mass adoption to text | | | | and applications often require certification and testing |
| messaging and opened the door for mobile marketing. | | | | prior to acceptance. |
| Advertisers, retailers and other service businesses | | | | Quality of service and ease of use are often |
| have jumped on board to take advantage of mobile | | | | considered part of a carrier review. According to |
| marketing. Mobile marketing can enhance customer | | | | Telephia, 22 percent of consumers who encounter a |
| loyalty and reduce churn and as it becomes a popular | | | | "quality of service" problem when making a purchase |
| and sustainable revenue-generating medium, will also | | | | give up on the purchase. They also tend to register |
| force the carriers to take notice. | | | | their complaint with the retailer or their wireless |
| The complete mobile ecosystem includes network | | | | carrier. However, all is not lost. Those who can’t |
| operators, advertisers, technology and solutions | | | | finish the order process often complete their |
| providers, service providers and consumers who all | | | | purchase in store or online and 17 percent stated |
| stand to benefit from wireless commerce. To apply | | | | they would try again later. |
| wireless commerce to everyday life, companies are | | | | "We have found that user testing and quality of |
| quickly developing new mobile commerce applications. | | | | service improvements are critical if we expect to |
| These applications and services are prepared to give | | | | foster development of wireless commerce as a |
| a significant boost to the adoption of wireless | | | | sustainable and formable business model," noted |
| commerce across the mobile ecosystem. Some of | | | | David Geipel, President of US-based QWASI, Inc. |
| these applications include: | | | | "Companies have to create a user experience for |
| Wireless Commerce Applications | | | | wireless commerce and m-commerce that supports |
| Mobile banking & Financial Service | | | | industry growth." |
| " Mobile brokerage | | | | The future of wireless commerce and m-commerce |
| " Mobile financial information | | | | depends on a number of players in the mobile |
| Mobile entertainment | | | | ecosystem to be creative and innovative. A solid, |
| " Mobile gaming | | | | replicatible customer experience is vital to growing |
| " Download of music and ring tones | | | | m-commerce throughout the next decade. As more |
| " Download of videos and digital images | | | | retailers and companies dip their toe into the water, |
| " Location-based entertainment services | | | | one thing is sure: the outlook for wireless commerce |
| Mobile information services | | | | is bright. |
| " Current affairs (financial, sport and other news) | | | | |