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Olympics, Video-based Plans and Increase in Dark Traffic Set to Make 2016 the Year of Mobile Video

Olympics, Video-based Plans and Increase in Dark Traffic Set to Make 2016 the Year of Mobile Video Image Credit: Openwave

It has been another busy year in technology. From smarter wearables to micro mobile payments and from new handsets to VR headsets, there have been plenty of exciting gadgets that grabbed the headlines. And yes, it has been yet another year of growing mobile video usage. As the year draws to a close, we dusted off our future gazing crystal ball to see what 2016 has in store for mobile data.

#1: MONETIZING VIDEO (FINALLY)

One event in 2015 may just set the tone for 2016. And that was T-Mobile USA’s Binge On launch. The operator has disrupted the status quo by introducing an innovative plan to make mobile video content a widely available service for everyone. Inspired by this, operators around the world will look to use mobile optimization to launch new and potentially highly disruptive video-based packages that finally put them in the path to monetize OTT (Over The Top) mobile data. Put it this way, operators will either launch similar plans or they will need to respond to their competitors who are launching such plans. Could 2016 be the year when mobile video actually gets monetized?

#2: SEVERAL FOLD INCREASE IN ENCRYPTED TRAFFIC

John Giere,
President & CEO,
Openwave Mobility

Based on our projections, we estimate that by the end of 2016, encrypted traffic levels will reach up to 80% of mobile network in many regions. Many operators are struggling to manage the secure traffic levels which are currently at around 50% – 60%. This is straining already congested networks - but the cruel twist is that mobile networks are turning “dark”. Operators are unable to see the data. As a result, they can’t manage the traffic being transported with traditional tools and analytics. Farsighted carriers are already witnessing the benefits of proactively managing this data. Some operators however are burying their heads in the sand. They are missing out on new, efficient technology and techniques that can manage the impact of this traffic on their networks.

#3: INNOVATION IN MOBILE OPTIMIZATION

The internet does not have a roadmap, so the world of mobile video demands constant agility and innovation. Some of our competitors are no longer in existence as they were unable to innovate as the mobile ecosystem evolved, ranging from devices and apps to mobile networks. Operators need – and deserve - innovative solutions and technologies to stay one step ahead of a fiercely competitive market. Whether that’s Subscriber Data Management or Optimizing Secure Data, in 2016 our industry must step up to the plate and be continually innovative – or risk being left out in the cold.

2016 Trends and Outlook Polls

#4: MOBILE EDGE COMPUTING

As virtualization matures, we predict that momentum will build for Mobile-Edge Computing leading to truly distributed service architecture. It will be from the device to the RAN-Edge and from the core network to the data center and finally to the cloud. 2016 will surely deliver the first wave of real NFV capable services with both Resource Orchestration and Service Orchestration.

#5: SOMETHING FOR THE SPORTS FANS

Finally, let’s not forget that 2016 is an Olympic year. Yes, it is a no-brainer that more people than ever will want to watch the games on their mobile device. Research from the 2014 Brazilian World Cup found that people wanted to watch the action on a mobile device but feared bill shock and video quality. This is an opportunity for operators to offer their subscribers Olympic data packages. The technology is available for operators to manage this data and deliver an outstanding Quality of Experience.

2016 will be an interesting year to watch.

In the meantime have a great holiday and a peaceful New Year – from all of us at Openwave Mobility!

About The Author:
John Giere has over 20 years of wireless industry management experience in sales, product management, marketing and business development. Prior to his role as President and CEO of Openwave Mobility, John served as GM of the mediation business unit for Openwave Systems. Before Openwave Systems, John served as CMO for Alcatel-Lucent and CMO for Lucent Technologies. Before joining Lucent in 2003, John worked for Ericsson in various strategic marketing and business development roles. John currently serves on the Board of Sonim Technologies. He holds an MBA from the University of Maryland and a Bachelor of Science degree from Georgetown University.

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