Connectivity

Sunday, June 7th, 2009 at 5:45 am

The last segment of entities located within the first orbit around the enduser is the connectivity provider. These are the companies that provide various types of wireless network access services through which a customer connects with another, or receives content. In return for access, consumers pay a monthly service charge, which allows metered access (that is by the minute, or by the amount of data transferred) or unmetered (all-you-can-eat) wireless traffic. Other payment options include prepaid or pay-as-you-go. Connectivity providers include network operators, wireless service providers, and hosting companies.

Network Operators
The first category within this segment entails network operators. In general, this category entails local access providers, long-distance network operators, and Internet Protocol (IP) transport providers. Local access providers own and operate the physical networks that connect end-users to an Internet service provider’s (ISP) points of presence (POP), local exchange carrier switches and cable television headends (facilities that originate and communicate cable modem and cable TV services to subscribers). Types of local access providers include local exchange telephone network operators, cable television network operators, and—in the Wireless Value Web— mobile telephone network operators. Long-distance network operators own and/or operate physical trunk networks on which various forms of telecommunications travel between localities and countries. Types of companies within this group include long-distance telephone network operators, satellite operators, and operators of terrestrial microwave networks. IP transport providers operate the networks that carry Internet protocol traffic between POPs and resell Internet transport services to end-users. ISPs and Internet backbone operators fall into this group.

Taken From : Enterprise Guide to Gaining Business Value from Mobile Technologies