With smart devices funnelling large volumes of data into telecom networks, operators and communication service providers are looking at innovative ways to deliver their services and at the same time monetize on their network investments – this is where Wi-Fi is becoming their biggest ally and delivering unique value proposition to their customers.
In Continuation to the previous blog, Here are some more innovative ways of monetizing Wi-Fi which can actually help CSPs
6. Monetizing Sponsored data & over-the-top applications with Wi-Fi
A deluge of sponsored data and over-the-top (OTT) apps like Skype, WatsApp, Facebook, and YouTube are changing the way telecom networks are designed and rolled out. Today, smart devices such as tablets and smart-phones access larger amount of data and users are expecting personalized services along with personalized pricing as well. This is where operators need to innovate and create big value for their customers.
As a lot of operators move towards transforming their networks in order to derive better monetization on their existing 3G or 4G investments, Wi-Fi is increasing becoming the first choice to deliver innovative services around OTT and earn extra revenue through sponsored data services.
Example/s of how service providers are reinventing the OTT and sponsored data segment:
- Operators are creating unique service packs based on user behaviour around social media, gaming, video or other logical groupings, for a monthly subscription fee.
- Operators are also offering monetary incentives based on various policies such as time of day (e.g., off peak lower rates, differential tiers, quota based) for subscribers to utilize certain bandwidth heavy applications such as peer to peer or video downloading.
- According to Gartner, global mobile Ad spend will grow from $13.1 billion in 2013 to $18 billion in 2014, and reach $41.9 billion in 2017. And hence, ‘sponsored data’ plans can catapult this even further ahead.
7. Wi-Fi Aware Bringing Proximity-based Services
Realising the promise of proximity based services, the Wi-Fi Alliance has recently unveiled the ‘Wi-Fi Aware’, a new low energy ‘neighbour awareness’ technology that is enabling users to discover nearby devices, applications and information before making a Wi-Fi connection.
At a time when Wi-Fi is gaining widespread acceptance, the Wi-Fi Aware is set to improve Wi-Fi’s ease of usage for social applications such as peer to peer messaging, connected gaming, and even media sharing, as well as for
location-specific services such as proximity assessment, contextual notifications, and offers.
8. Wi-Fi Engagement is Powering Venues to Deliver Onsite Location Services
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Public Wi-Fi connectivity – public venues such as stadiums, large retail shops, Malls, hotels and hospitals are now in a position to deliver onsite location services that can directly and swiftly interact with customers based on their location profiling.
Today, India has a large number of LFRs such as the Big Bazaar, Shoppers Stop, and technology retail stores – offers
retail Wi-Fi, a Wi-Fi driven technology such as this could prove to be extremely beneficial in terms of helping customers locate exactly what they are looking for – and hence considerably increasing the customer delight factor and at the same increasing the productivity levels of the store. Similarly this has great applications for large venues such as stadiums, or hospitals as well.
This can also be used for venues of historical importance such as museums, or important forts etc. Wi-Fi can deliver onsite location driven information and services that can guide visitors with turn-by-turn directions and location-based information for such venues. And hence, this has great potential for a country like India.
Example /s – Recently government of India launched Free Wi-Fi services at one of the Seven Wonders of the World – Taj Mahal.
9. Wi-Fi Calling – boosting loyalty, coverage, and service continuity
As Wi-Fi gains importance, there are a number of global operators including Singapore’s Singtel and India’s Airtel that are evaluating Wi-Fi Calling applications. This is largely seen as a big way to offer subscribers with improved service availability and create better market differentiation.
Overcoming the dead-spots which VoLTE has and looking at the big advantages,
Wi-Fi Calling is ready for adoption and CSPs are ready to invest in this technology to better their market positioning and increase their customer bonding as well.
Elitecore Wi-Fi Service Management Platform Enables operators to roll out innovative business cases and help them to enhance their subscriber experience as well as help them to increase their revenue potential. For more information
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