A couple weeks ago, I blogged about
CSPs launching new services by acquiring smaller companies that offer interfaces (APIs) for voice services, content, and advertising.
Interestingly last week, Apple turned the page of its story here again, announcing removal of restrictions for approved third-party apps to use the iPhone device-centric API for voice over 3G data access on the iPhone platform, at least with its network operator partner in the USA market (AT&T). An
article on the news is here.
Looking at open APIs further, a big question still remains for Service Providers – how to monetize (collect meaningful revenues for) the APIs that operators can offer in mass, and what is the business case for offering them. This has always been a very big challenge for APIs, except the API and service for sending bulk SMS. Parlay/OSA and
ParlayX APIs have always been around for a long time as enablers for innovative services, but CSPs have seen limited market adoption and monies from customers so far, except generally for only the largest of online partners and enterprise customers. Most open APIs today are offered either for free, or a customer paying by usage in some form, with each successful call to an API being metered and charged.
Also last week at TM Forum’s Team Action Week Lisbon, I got a demo from a Service Provider member from Portugal Telecom’s online unit
Sapo of their interesting SDP and
service catalog for open APIs and web services for its unique Portuguese market. These services are monetized today primarily by surrounding advertising and not the APIs themselves.
Considering Google’s incredible success with internet advertising, PT Sapo’s SDP demo at TAW, and
Dialog Telekom’s recent great presentation on mobile SMS advertising at TM Forum’s Management World Asia conference, a combination of advertising as a means of monetizing new services seems pretty important.
Posted
02-05-2010 1:16 PM
by
Stephen Fleece