The Future of MNOs – Utility Cash Cows or Mobile Service Stars?

In the age of app stores and OTT services, mobile network operators have struggled to develop new revenue streams in the provision of content and services. Here, Mike Bradbury, CEO of billing and payments consultancy, T-Exec argues that MNOs need a cultural over-haul to compete in the mobile services economy. It is accepted fact that mobile is the dominant technological force in 2014. Latest statistics show that smartphone penetration sits at 71%, 53% of internet access is from a mobile, m-commerce accounts for 27% of all online shopping, 71% of all social media access is via a mobile handset …

5 minutes with… MT2

In our 5 minutes with profiles, MEF members talk about their business, their aspirations for the future and the wider mobile industry. This week Naji Bouhabib, CEO, introduces Middle East Based VAS provider Mobile Technology Tomorrow – MT2 What does MT2 do? Mobile Technology Tomorrow (MT2) is a leading Value Added Service Provider and is seamlessly integrated into the telcos and digital ecosystem as a preferred partner in the MENA region. It was recognised at the Telecom Review Summit Award 2013 for Best Mobile Application Developer, and in 2012 MT2 signed an MOU with Qualcomm. MT2's …

Digital Content Adoption: Can Analytics Bridge the Gap?

Juan Jose De La Torre, VP of Strategy & Corporate Development and Meghali Sharma, Competitive Intelligence Analyst at Intigral return to the MEF Minute to explore digital content adoption and the crucial role analytics have in making smart business decisions. Our previous blog debated the evolution of digital mobile content in the region and factors motivating its growth. These factors have enabled a visible shift from traditional mobile value added services to data oriented services; however, there still exists a clear disconnect in the type of content and applications which …

Global Strategies for Mobile VAS Compliance – MEF in Jakarta

Last month MEF co-hosted a one day programme in Jakarta to address the key issues facing the VAS industry in the region. Co-hosted with Indosat, Global Strategies for Mobile VAS Compliance saw more than 120 people in attendance, including 19 affected MEF members spanning the region, consisting of content providers, record labels, Indonesian industry associations and network operators among others. While it was clear the industry is suffering badly and businesses have been destroyed due to the actions of a few rogue companies, the mood of the one day programme was positive. MEF’s objective is …

Indonesian VAS Update – Join us in Jakarta, February 16th

MEF has announced a special one-day event co-hosted by Indosat on February 16th in Jakarta as a follow-up to on-going regulatory action to discuss the future of the Indonesian VAS market.As you may recall, following concerns of widespread consumer harm in October last year all VAS subscription billing services were shut down on the direction of the Indonesian Ministry of Telecoms. As a global regulatory champion and independent intermediary, MEF has been proactively supporting collaboration between the local regulator BRTI and the industry ever since to actively resolve the situation and …

Indonesian Value Added Services Market in Crisis – MEF takes action

 Colin Miles moderates a panel at Next Billion event in Jakarta MEF is calling for its members affected by the recent regulatory upheaval in Indonesia to get in touch to collaborate on a project to clarify the compliance process for value added services (VAS) following a near complete shutdown of the industry in the region. If your business has been affected,  contact MEF to contribute to crucial activity underway to remedy the situation there, and help shape the future of the VAS market in the region.As of midnight, October 18 2011, all VAS subscription billing services were switched off …