Multimedia Messaging Services (MMS) are emerging as a new channel for marketing campaigns and subscription services. It's been over two years since MMS was launched in 2002 and usage is growing. With the convergence of the Internet and mobile communications, the use of messaging, mobile data and wireless telecommunications has grown rapidly according to industry sources: sales of camera phones capable of sending and receiving multi-media messages rose from 25 million units in 2002 to 88 million units in 2003. All this is good news for developers interested in creating applications for messaging, push marketing and event-based marketing.
Europe Already Having Success
European operators who deployed person-to-person services are leading the market for push MMS services. Many have successfully launched sports and news services via MMS. Football is one of the most popular: as a goal gets scored, users get a picture or video clip. T-Mobile launched an MMS news service that includes a daily summary of the Tour the France. Events like Euro 2004 and the Athens Olympics motivated many operators to get these kinds of services launched.
The landscape in the US looks different. In the US, most operators plan to deploy push MMS services, but this year the priority for US operators is to implement intercarrier interoperability.
Developers Can Create Great Apps
Developers around the world are building all kinds of useful applications. They generally fall into a few categories:
Information Services: news, weather, stocks, etc.
Entertainment: comics, games and adult content
Utility Apps: like printing (here's an example from TELUS Mobility: users can send their pictures directly from their photo albums to more than 2,000 photo finishing retail locations across Canada for high-quality printing on photo paper, mugs, t-shirts, magnets and more.)
Working with Operators
Operators are starting opening up application-to-person messaging services, also known as wholesale MMS services, to third party developers. Wholesale MMS services allow third parties who offer services via short codes to reach their subscribers. These services exist in the SMS market and are now becoming available via MMS. One operator using wholesale services is O2. They offer Media Alerts to their users that include a number of push services.
To make the MMS process work as easily as SMS, there are several barriers being removed that will make application development more attractive. Those issues include:
Lack of scalability of existing MMSC(s). The good news is most European operators have starting adding or switching out the MMSCs and some US operators are expected to follow.
The cost per message based on existing infrastructure (i.e. the cost is too high so operators can't offer steep discounts for wholesale MMS services). This is also changing as MMSCs are replaced or new A2P infrastructure is deployed.
To get access to the operator's interfaces that enable pushing messages to end users, developers have to sign a Value Added Service Provider (VASP) Agreement with individual operators. Another option is to work with an aggregator to reach all operators in a country at once. More good news, MMS aggregators are just starting to enter the market.
How Openwave Can Help
Openwave currently provides an Open Source MM7 Library that developers can leverage to push messages into any compliant MMSC. In addition, the Openwave Developer Network operates a number of live MMSCs that can be used for test and development purposes, so that when a developer is ready to take an application to market, they can be assured that it works from end to end.
The market is just starting to gain momentum. There is a lot of room for innovation by developers. At this point, it's likely the killer applications for MMS have yet to be developed.
