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GSM today: Forget about tedious settings

May 06, 2004

If consumers are to adopt new data services, then they must be easy to use. Automatic Device Configuration (ADC) detects what phone a user has and automatically takes care of the settings.

The complexity of using data-based mobile services is an obstacle that needs to be removed. Otherwise the services will not reach mass-market acceptance. That's why Ericsson's latest GSM release includes ADC, which gives subscribers instant access to new services without the tedious downloading of settings and subsequent handset configurations that sometimes require up to 20 steps.

 

The new feature was developed because we found a clear operator need, says Anna Eriksson, product manager: "We wanted to be able to offer a service enabler that would help operators to boost Mobile Internet usage by improving user-friendliness."

 

As many as 10 percent of all attempted MMS messages are not completed due to poorly configured terminals or a lack of provisioning, Eriksson explains. "Obviously," she adds, "that represents a big chunk of foregone revenue. What's worse, users might not bother to try a second time."

 

Besides MMS, most of the soon-to-be-launched data services - such as Instant Messaging and Instant Talk - will present the same set of obstacles to end-users, a fact that will makes ADC solutions even more desirable.

 

But ADC does more than help end-users to access new services. It also offers network operators a real-time snapshot or overview of what kinds of phones are out there - data that makes it easier for them to tailor marketing activities, dimension their networks, and identify needs for greater capacity.

 

"ADC lets operators discover the hidden business potential in their networks through better overview of their subscribers' equipment.," Eriksson says."If, say, 25 percent of your customers are equipped with MMS-capable phones, you'll know it, and you'll also know who has them and where they are. If all your customers have purchased high-end phones with cameras and other capabilities, they are probably willing to pay for services like image messaging. But it doesn't necessarily mean they're ready to visit the Web in order to download the settings required to get started."

 

However, merely detecting what kind of handsets are in use isn't enough, Eriksson warns: "You need to act on that information too. ADC builds a bridge between the end-user and a garden of services that might be ripe with attractive opportunities. But if the garden lacks the right mix of services, the user might not bother to pay a second visit."

 

She explains that a series of conditions must be met to have a happy - and billable - datacom end-user: "You have to make sure potential subscribers have the kind of subscriptions that enable them to access new services and that the network is dimensioned and configured to handle a possible surge in demand for certain services."

 

In other words, for operators to reap maximum rewards from the introduction of GPRS networks, service offering, subscriptions, network capacity and terminals must work hand-in-hand.

 

In the future, the Device Management System (DCM), which is part of the ADC solution, might be used for much more than distributing configuration settings - for example, it might also be used to distribute software and services for smart phones and PDAs.

 

ADC - how it works
Ericsson ADC is a package implemented in several nodes in the core network and service layer. When a phone is activated, its International Mobile Equipment Identifier (IMEI) is matched with data stored in the Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN). If the IMEI value has changed or was not previously registered, the data is transferred to the Device Configuration Register (DCR). If a configuration is needed, the DCR contacts the Device Management System (DMS) to determine the correct format and configuration parameters. The DMS then sends an Over-the-Air configuration by SMS (OTA SMS) to the Short Message Service Center (SMSC), which forwards it to the mobile phone. The OTA protocol enables information and settings for personal services to be downloaded to the phone. All end-users have to do is click "yes" to access new services.