Wireless Infrastructure for Access and Delivery

A very important component to wireless entertainment systems is the access and delivery systems with perhaps the most frequently used medium being mobile messaging technologies such as SMS or more advanced messaging such as MMS.  WAP is also used, sometimes in conjunction with messaging as content, services or applications are invoked via messaging and delivered via WAP push.  Proprietary systems such as BREW are used in many CDMA systems.  The use of J2ME is another alternative, which may be used with a variety of different invocation and delivery mechanisms.

Implementation and Operational Issues

Mediating the Relationship between Operators and Suppliers

Suppliers of wireless entertainment would, ideally, like to have totally unfettered access to mobile operator networks.  Mobile network operators, of course, need to have certain controls regarding access, privileges, protecting customer security and privacy, control over billing and delivery, etc. 

In order to facilitate the interactions between operators and their customers with third party suppliers, there is a need for a mediation function to control connections, access, rights, billing, settlement, etc.  This is often best provided by a non-affiliated business entity to broker, buffer, and facilitate the relationship, provisioning and administration, and operation of the interactions.

Arguably the most important functions required to mediate the interactions between operator and supplier are AAA and permissions management.  AAA, or Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting, is concerned with verifying that the supplier source is genuine, authorized to engage in the operation requested, and that proper rating, billing, and settlement functions are occurring completely and accurately.  Whereas AAA is focused more at the business object to business object level, permissions is more focused on the end-user, allowing them to dictate who, how, and under what circumstances a target supplier can interact with them.  AAA and permissions management are particularly important with push-based (non-user invoked) wireless entertainment and/or with adult or objectionable content.