Elitecore Helps Operators Monetize Wi-Fi (w/Location, Analytics and Revenue Generator)

Elitecore Technologies announced the launch of "Wi-Fi monetization framework comprising: Smart Connectivity ..  simplifies user’s connectivity to Wi-Fi through efficient network discovery, selection and user authentication for both data offload and walk-in users ; Location-specific services -  identify and categorize user locations based on multiple methods to improve operator service capability ; Subscriber Analytics and Revenue Generator – Operators can launch new revenue models through personalized push notification for Wi-Fi using flash advertisements, freebies discount coupons, on-demand events, clicks-on-portal, roaming (iPass, Boingo) and 3G+Wi-Fi plans". 

 

See "Elitecore Introduces “Wi-Fi Monetization Framework” for Telecom Operators" - here.

[iPass] 43% of Mobile Workers Experienced Bill Shock; Prefer Wi-Fi Over 3G

iPass published its quarterly Mobile Workforce Report which ".. shows that 43 percent of mobile workers reported they had experienced an expensive data roaming bill in the past year and on average encountered a high data roaming bill 1.4 times a year. The average cost of their monthly data roaming bill shock was $1,089. A greater number of mobile workers are taking a stance on data roaming rates as 81 percent of mobile workers state that data roaming prices are too high and 23 percent of mobile workers said they always turn off data roaming when they travel".

"Though mobile workers are rarely without their cellular-connected mobile devices, they overwhelmingly prefer Wi-Fi for common applications. Eighty percent of mobile workers prefer to use Wi-Fi for mobile application use and Wi-Fi was even favored for making international phone calls, which has long been a profit center for traditional telecom service providers. Perhaps the efforts by Skype, Tango, Vonage and others to popularize Wi-Fi calling apps have paid off".

"Data roaming charges are keeping some mobile workers from using applications related to productivity, such as 

email, web browsing and mapping/location services. Employees are less concerned about access to entertainment oriented 

apps like Facebook and audio streaming when data roaming"

" .. 80 percent of mobile workers stated $1-2 per megabyte (MB) to be a reasonable price for mobile/cellular data roaming .. Security is being further compromised with 48 percent of mobile workers admitting to bypassing IT restrictions to enable them to access corporate data".

See "Mobile Workers Report Average Monthly Data Roaming Bill Shock of $1,089 Globally, According to New Data from iPass" - here.

MetroPCS Offloads 20% to Wi-Fi

   

Sue Marek reports to Fierce Wireless that according to iPass CTO Barbara Nelson (pictured) - "..some operators are unwilling to offload traffic to Wi-Fi unless they own the network, while others, such as MetroPCS, are offloading a significant amount of traffic to Wi-Fi now .. Although they are not broadcasting it, we estimate 20 percent of MetroPCS' traffic is offloaded to Wi-Fi"

MetroPCS would not confirm the iPass statistic. However spokesman Drew Crowell said the firm is "encouraged by what we are seeing with traffic offloaded to Wi-Fi". In May, an AT&T executive said that "AT&T didn’t see Wi-Fi helping the nation’s No. 2 carrier offset congestion" (here).

It is not clear if the Wi-Fi offloading percentage refers to Wi-Fi services in public areas only, or includes the use of home/office Wi-Fi as well. If the latter is included, then the 20% figure does not look very high.

See "MetroPCS may be offloading at least 20% of its traffic to Wi-Fi" - here.