Developing business models for 4G technologies
Known in the industry as Mobile IP based Network Developments (MIND), the MIND project envisages that 4G will provide seamless access to broadband services over multiple air services. Other activities include creating new business models to provide and operate future broadband and the underlying networks thereof. The initial research revealed the need for new network topologies such as ad-hoc, self-organising networks, improved QoS support in IP mobile networks, enhancements for HIPERLAN/2 and future spectrum requirement investigations. This research was one of the four objectives, which also foresees the rapid creation of customised broadband multimedia services and applications. Thus MIND grouped all the work activities into six packages aimed at achieving the seamless provision of IP services and applications and the development of new business and service models. Other set achievements are the support of mobile Internet applications, the connection to a common IP network over a range of air interfaces and the conducting of MIND architecture trials on UMTS, wireless LAN and Ipv6 test-beds. These activities in turn led to the realisation that Authentication/Access/Accounting (AAA) was an extremely important element. MIND have therefore developed a successor for the humble SIM card through the creation of a domain model that aims to define a security framework that can deliver innovative and flexible services. A framework has also been detailed to offer a flexible and dynamic service APIs network to third party application providers. The future potential for the business models being developed by MIND are set to drive future IP mobile networks into a more competitive market. Therefore the project results will also be of use to operators who will extend existing fixed networks and those who want to reveal APIs, whilst retaining full security and resources usage. Further, all the concepts within the MIND project have been widely published, and at least one major IT player is already using this model to define WLAN products.
