Ovum lays out 3G mobile roadmap
Four possible development paths for third generation (3G) mobile network technology have been predicted in a report by industry analyst Ovum. According to the report, the success of third generation mobiles will be determined by consumer uptake and the availability of low-cost, standardised network and terminal equipment.
The report predicts that 3G will be implemented in most markets by 2006. However as full technical capabilities will not be fully available at launch in 2001, Ovum suggests network operators will need to develop a long term plan of extending existing services to drive consumer demand for data-intensive 3G services.
The four development scenarios for 3G development, predicted by Ovum are:
Ovum predicts that the crucial factor in driving consumer demand will be the introduction of personalisation services from network operators and content providers. These wireless portals will, says the report, make mobile data increasingly relevant and useful to consumers. Price of handsets was also cited as an important factor in the uptake of the services.