Feature: Making mobile work for sport  

What they want, when they want it and how they want it. Catchy? Corny? Or perhaps just too simplistic? Whatever your view, you can't argue that it doesn't make sense, writes Matt Heiman, director of Mobix Interactive. In an environment where video to mobile still remains a complicated relationship between technology triumphs and operator pipe dreams, its supporters are keen to find a way of convincing the rest of its unique benefits. The burning question is how? How do we ensure video mobile does not follow the path of its poorer cousin WAP?

Hutchison Three, with its video mobile launch this year in the UK has set the blazing trail using marketing and the media to affirm its ability to deliver video across a mobile network. The question is however, behind this PR machine what lies at the heart of making video mobile compelling and how is it that so many operators have defined or are still defining their strategy to embrace this new wireless phenomenon?

Content issues

Whilst the technology may power the engine, it is content that drives it. Without a hook, technology fails in its ability to convince subscribers that mobile video is able to stand up against other media channels. It comes back to the slogan, What they want, when they want it and how they want it.

What they want - Mobile will never be a substitute for TV, how can it? it is tenth of the screen size and on a per view basis, much more expensive. Nevertheless it does hold some unique features that TV could never purport. It is always with the user, it is a personal device and is not reliant on pre-determined programme channelling.

It provides a timely 'first look' at content before the fuller story can be told either via TV or broadband. This information 'hit', should be delivered as it happens and be accessed whenever the user desires. Edited mobile clips of up-to-the-minute breaking news in business, sports, major events or reality TV, keep the user informed, hooked and fulfilled, until a fuller story is sought from another media channel.

A more liberal school of thought would promote the use of niche or unique content across the mobile video platform. Their argument rests on the strategic advantage of mobile to be a 'cool', 'individual' and an alternative media channel; one that delivers content that is not readily available across other channels, e.g sport to displaced persons.

Whatever your viewpoint, practical or liberal, the unifying message is not to replicate the TV output, but rather deliver a 'snap shot' of it. Relaying the vital information in the 60 second (or more) window of which you have the customers attention.

When they want it - This speaks for itself. If we are taking breaking news or event information, any delay in delivery will render the service obsolete. If video mobile is to bridge the gaps between TV sessions acting as a compelling consumer service, it needs to turn-around the information rapidly.

In the sports arena, never has there been such a clear opportunity. Fans and supporters can be directly targeted with the sporting information they desire as it happens. In a format that best represents the quality of the game. This opportunity will be lost if the delivery is not made within the window that mobile provides.

In an age where information and data are placed at a premium, the expectation is on immediacy of delivery. The mobile is currently the only device that is able to fulfil this requirement. The key is to optimise this opportunity.

How they want - Having placed importance on the type and delivery of content, technology has the ability to shine; executing on both these components. If your granny can work the service mobile video has succeeded.. The 'One Click' golden rule, although an ideal, provides an insight as to how patient a mobile audience is. With this in mind, access to video needs to be fast, reliable and functional. The mobile is not an effective browser, so this selection and accessibility problem needs to be addressed before the user requires the content.

The goal must lie in the ability of mobile video to seamlessly fit within the restrictions that mobile lends itself to. Personalised content, delivered on time and that can be accessed quickly by the user.

Technology issues

What is required to make video to mobile happen? Thankfully neither the big bang, nor a 3G network as many assume. Video can be both 'streamed' and 'downloaded' across the existing GPRS network. Its ability to be done successfully does not rely on great leaps in technology, but rather on convergence of four key players: content owners, producers, technology developers and mobile operators.

To date the market has not seen a coalition of this kind. Indeed, why should it have done? Content owners and producers have had other media channels to focus on, mobile operators have built up wireless telecommunication networks, and it has only been technology developers in the most recent past that have tried to straddle the gap.

This begs the question however, as a content owner how do I optimise my asset using the current technology? The answer is not alone.

Whereas before the value has been in owning, managing and understanding your rights, now it lies on how best to represent them across a new media channel. This requires an unusual union between raw content, fast-turn around production, repurposing, and mobile operator integration coupled with consumer delivery, billing and ease of use.

This collaboration of otherwise disparate skills is necessary for video mobile to fulfil the hopes of its champions.

Revenue issues

Each component in this new value chain is not mutually exclusive; not one can provide a revenue generating, consumer fulfilling and technologically efficient service on their own. Until this is understood, it is hard to imagine substantial revenues being generated. Some may try, indeed one has started, however it needs to be asked: how can revenue be generated from a service that neither gives the consumer what they want, when the want or how they want it?

This statement needs to be caveted with the proviso that mobile video offers operators a real opportunity to generate have and have-not properties. With a move by the wireless industry away from ARPU goals and focusing on reducing churn this becomes increasingly more important. A network that is able to tie a user to it through a compelling video service, is infinitely more valuable than losing that subscriber to its competitor. As the margins on voice traffic begin to decrease, other services become more valuable.

The other key players outlined as drivers for a compelling video service, namely content owners, production/ repurposing houses are therefore in line for not only a mammoth task of creating a new service but also one that could potentially be the basis for a steady revenue flow upon which the networks will place growing importance.

When will this be? It is starting now, but the real revenue arguably won't be realised until the technology, content and marketing of the service lock step on a service that delivers a practical solution to the customer.

A flight to quality is evolving. The first to realise it, will win.

Mobix Interactive provides a comprehensive end-to-end video mobile and video broadband service for operators around the world. Mobix specialises in delivering rights cleared content to their global customers.
For further information see: www.mobixinteractive.com

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