Managing Mobile Services Technologies and Business Practices

This book was written based on the increasing need to obtain topical
information about implementing packet-based services in mobile
networks. General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) andWideband
Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) networks provide good
basic tools for provisioning services for mobile users, but the business
environment has changed since the inception of the original
GPRS mobile network architecture. One of the central themes of
this book, the change has been apparent in service value chains. The
service provisioning capabilities of mobile networks are evolving to
keep up with business requirements, and new technologies such as
Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN) are being incorporated into
mobile networks. Evolving and diversifying services bring an extra
dimension to the picture.
The above situation has manifold consequences. In a sense, the
provisioning of packet-based services moves closer to provisioning
of Internet services in general. However, state-of-the-art mobile
networks currently provide capabilities surpassing those of the Internet,
including service quality support and charging. From the
viewpoint of a content service provider, the capabilities of individual
networks and terminal typesmayvary. In an environment where
lean operations are required of different business parties, a proper
understanding of the business environment is imperative. Indeed,
business and technology can no longer be thought of as separate
subjects in service provision, but should be dealt with together.

ORGANIZATION
Chapter 1 is an introduction to the topic, describing the overall
approach adopted in the book.

Chapter 2 discusses business aspects of service management, including
changing operator business environments and value
chain structures.

Chapter 3 introduces the first focus topic, providing a summary of
a real-life service creation project. It provides the background to
the enhanced service management techniques introduced later.
This chapter, like Chapters 1 and 2, deals with business aspects of
mobile services, but is also useful reading for advanced technical
experts and managers.

Chapter 4 discusses service management at a generic level from the
viewpoint of processes and technology.

Chapter 5 reviews standardization relevant to service management
and operations support systems such as TeleManagement Forum.
Also, relevant aspects of other standardization fora such as Third
Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), Open Mobile Alliance
(OMA), and Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) are discussed.

Chapter 6 discusses the requirements and characteristics of different
kinds of packet-based services. It provides the reader with an
understanding of technical issues that relate to different kinds of
services. It also summarizes service support capabilities.

Chapter 7 discusses service modelling related issues. Having an
adequate model for services is crucial for being able to manage
increasingly complex networks with a large number of multicomponent
services. A framework for service modelling is presented
and put into the context of selected industry initiatives and
academic research. This chapter should be of interest to businessoriented
readers, too, since recent modelling efforts address business
and technology as a whole.

Chapter 8 introduces the second focus topic, describing service control
functionality for mobile networks. It provides an example of
powerful functionalities in the mobile network that service management
is able to utilize.

Chapter 9 discusses potential future trends that relate to service
management. Both business and technical trends are discussed.

Chapter 10 provides a summary of the topic area of the book .

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