MWC 2010: Efficient Mobile Data services needed

Momail has just returned from another busy Mobile World Congress with many new ideas, new contacts and very constructive partner meetings. We're now even more excited for what is in store in 2010!

One of the more prevelant themes of the week was the need for more efficient mobile data services. Everyone from AT&T, to RIM, to even Facebook, were highlighting the need, and requesting solutions. It's clearly an interesting change given that just a few years ago operators were more concerned about increasing data usage, at a high cost to consumers, than making it more efficient. Now, with the advent of data intensive handsets such as the iPhone and Nexus One, they finally realize the need to better manage their infrastructure.

Of course, Momail has always known this time would come, and has been focused on efficient data delivery since day 1. While we can't claim that Momail can solve all the data issues, if more mobile customers used Momail (or Momail's technology) in place of their current email providers, it could clearly help operators and handset operators in their quest for more efficient data services!

Consumer mobile email going mainstream

As more and more people rely more and more on their mobile handsets, there is increasing evidence that consumer mobile email is becoming mainstream. If nothing else, the fact that RIM - the manufacturer whose Blackberry handsets have become synonymous with mobile email for business - has begun developing handsets specifically for the consumer market. Why? you ask. The answer: the market is "virtually untapped".

But not only RIM has release encouraging reports. Nokia has also seen great success with its Ovi product - and now has over 250,000 subscribers in just a few months.

While this news is great for the industry, the solutions mentioned above are restricted to either Blackberry or Nokia hansets. So, what do you do if you don't have either of these brands (or want something better) - try Momail. Not only is the service handset agnostic, but our optimization technology also helps to greatly minimize your data costs.

FT: Moving beyond just messaging

As the Financial Times points out in their article, "Enterprises have moved beyond messaging", companies such as RIM, Nokia, and others are moving beyond just messaging and recognizing that customers are using their handsets for more than just calls and SMS. In addition, being tied to one system isn't important either, but, according to Roger Grönberg, Momail's founder, "It's the quality of the service that will determine whether people use mobile e-mail, not whether I lock out my competitors".

RIM sees increase in consumer mobile email

RIM, whose Blackberry handsets have become synonymous with mobile email in the enterprise field, is currently experiencing a strong uptake of their products in the consumer space. Per a recent presentation by Martin Thyssen at the Kista Mobile Showcase, RIM's Q2 2008 numbers showed that 40% of their subscribers are now non-enterprise, and more than 60% of their new subscribers are private / non-enterprise.

Needless to say, new handset models from Blackberry as well as the Apple iPhone, Samsung Omnia, and Nokia's Ovi project among others are helping to raise awareness of the ease of access consumer email accounts on mobiles. Soon email with be as easily accessible on mobiles as it is on the web.

Interest in consumer mobile email continues to grow

Recent news in the mobile industry raises expectations that email access for consumers on their mobile handsets will soon be as commonplace as webmail. For example:

- Nokia recently not only completed its acquistion of Oz, a consumer focused messaging platform, but also announced the release of a number of new handsets focused on the lower-end market, and all including email from its Ovi platform.

- Blackberry continues its push into the consumer handset market with the Pearl, the flip-Pearl, and its iPhone competitor, the Storm.

- In another platform play, it appears iSkoot will also be developing a messaging platform for AT&T, which will include Skype, email, instant messenger, and social networking functionality for lower-end phones.

As Mary Meeker mentioned at the recent Web 2.0 Summit, these developments continue to prove that mobile is increasingly turning into a Web-centric model, ie, more and more of what consumers know from the Web will become easier to use and more widely available on mobile handsets.