Report on Wireless Instant Messaging

Wireless Instant Messaging: Propelling SMS and Desktop IM to the Next Level

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Rysavy Research is the principal author of this report, published by Datacomm Research October 17, 2003.

Inquiries:
Contact: Ira Brodsky
Tel.: (314) 514-9750
ibrodsky@datacommresearch.com
http://www.datacommresearch.com

Table of contents follows the press release.

Wireless Instant Messaging Will Lift SMS to New Heights

From Simple SMS to Presence- and Location-Enhanced
Real-Time Messaging

October 27, 2003 - Chesterfield, Missouri – Wireless Instant Messaging will enable mobile phone operators to transform short message service (SMS) into a more powerful service integrating presence, location, sophisticated user preferences, and multiple media. That is one of the conclusions of the new 54-page report, Wireless Instant Messaging: Propelling SMS and Desktop IM to the Next Level, released today by Datacomm Research Company.

“Wireless instant messaging presents significant consumer and enterprise opportunities for mobile phone operators,” said Peter Rysavy, President of Rysavy Research and the report's author. "A large share of SMS traffic will migrate to feature-rich wireless instant messaging," he added.

“This report makes sense out of the burgeoning instant messaging market, and explains how wireless will spur interoperation between proprietary systems—leading to the widespread adoption of standards,” said Ira Brodsky, President of Datacomm Research Company.

Wireless Instant Messaging: Propelling SMS and Desktop IM to the Next Level is the result of numerous interviews with leading operators, software developers, and IM experts. The report includes sections on Technology Considerations, The Future of Messaging, and Threats, Opportunities & Strategies. More than 50 vendors are profiled.

Rysavy Research provides clients details and insight into wireless networking, assisting them in defining strategic directions, conducting market research, and deploying wireless applications. More information is available from the firm's Web site at www.rysavy.com .

Wireless Instant Messaging: Propelling SMS and Desktop IM to the Next Level is the latest in Datacomm Research's CompetitiveEdge™ family of reports and is available for $995.00 (PDF version). The price includes one hour of follow-on consultation. The report may be ordered online at the firm's secure website www.datacommresearch.com. Visa, MasterCard, and American Express accepted. Orders may also be faxed to (314) 514-9793, phoned to (314) 514-9750, or mailed to Datacomm Research Company, 14318 Millbriar Circle , Chesterfield, Missouri 63017.

Additional conclusions found in Wireless Instant Messaging: Propelling SMS and Desktop IM to the Next Level :

Mobile operators are wise to invest in wireless instant messaging. Operators can obtain far higher revenue per megabyte from messaging services than from generic IP services. Today, operators collect approximately 100 times as much revenue/MB from short message service as they do from IP transport services.
Instant messaging is on the verge of widespread acceptance as a business productivity enhancement tool. As enterprises deploy IM systems, they will want to extend them to mobile users.
The dominant instant messaging systems today are based on proprietary protocols with no interoperability between service providers. However, standards-based solutions will be essential for interoperability between mobile phone operators, Internet-based IM service providers and enterprise systems, as well as to integrate presence and location.
Most wireless IM solutions have been awkward, using either SMS with obtuse session-control messages or WAP minibrowsers. Needed are easy to use local clients that can access multiple services (e.g., enterprise and consumer). Fortunately, the increasing processing power of mobile devices (including Java and BREW support) and standards efforts (e.g., Wireless Village) tend to favor the local client approach.
Successful IM services will ultimately be based on presence-enabled address books. Address books will automatically show the availability of people, perhaps including their location, and will give users means to define communications preferences, e.g., text while in a meeting, location information only when working, and push-to-talk with family members or select friends.

Table of contents

Published Q4, 2003. 54 pages. 9 tables & figures.

THE FUTURE OF SMS & INSTANT MESSAGING
INTRODUCTION
KEY CONCLUSIONS
INSTANT MESSAGING MARKET TODAY
     Overview
     Enterprise versus Consumer Messaging
     Wireless IM Drivers
     Wireless IM Ecosystem
WIRELESS INSTANT MESSAGING ISSUES
     Lack of Integration
     Difficult to Use
     Lack of Interoperability
TECHNOLOGY CONSIDERATIONS
     Cellular Network Capabilities
     Wireless LAN Technology
     Internet Multimedia
     Presence
     Location-Based Services
     Security Considerations
     Instant Messaging Standards
          Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)
          Instant Messaging and Presence Protocol (IMPP)
          SIP for Instant Messaging and Presence Leveraging Extensions (SIMPLE)
          Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP)
          Wireless Village
          Presence & Availability Management (PAM) Working Group
THE FUTURE OF MESSAGING
     Interoperable Services
     Standards Based
     Presence-Enabled Address Book
     Automated Operation Based on Profiles
     Smart Clients
THREATS, OPPORTUNITIES AND STRATEGIES
     Cellular Operator Strategies
     Service Provider Strategies
     Device Vendor Strategies
     Infrastructure Vendor Strategies
     Software Vendor Strategies
VENDOR AND OPERATOR PROFILES
     Cellular Operators
          AT&T Wireless
          Cingular Wireless
          Nextel
          Sprint PCS
          T-Mobile
          Verizon Wireless
     IM Service Providers
          AOL
          ICQ
          MSN
          Yahoo
     Device, Infrastructure and Software Vendors
          ActiveBuddy, Inc.
          Agile Mobile
          Akonix Systems, Inc.
          All Instant, Inc.
          Antepo
          Apple
          Applied Messaging Corp.
          Bantu, Inc.
          BEA Systems
          Black Octopus
          Cerulean Studios
          Comverse (Odigo)
          Danger, Inc.
          Dynamicsoft
          Ecrio Inc.
          FaceTime Communications
          Fastmobile
          Followap
          General Wireless
          Good Technology
          Groove Networks Inc.
          Hotsip
          IBM
          Ikimbo
          Infinite Agent
          Invertix Corp.
          Jabber, Inc.
          MessageVine
          Microsoft ( Enterprise and MSN)
          MobileIM
          NMS Communications (MessageMachines)
          One Voice Technologies
          OpenWave
          OZ Communications
          PeopleSoft
          Research in Motion
          Ruksun Software Technologies
          Salesnet
          Simplewire, Inc.
          Telecommunication Systems
          The Messaging Architects
          Vayusphere
TABLE OF ACRONYMS

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