Operators looking to profit from the mobile Internet must focus on enhancing existing Internet applications and communities with made-for-mobile capabilities and multi-channel access, according to an expert panel polled by messaging company Acision last week at the Telco 2.0 executive brainstorm in London. Over two thirds (68%) of the panel, comprising senior representatives across the telecoms industry, believed that the most lucrative operator mobile Internet strategy lies in augmenting the fixed Internet experience with mobile capabilities such as location, immediate access and unique customer identity. 
Telco 2.0 attracted over 300 attendees this year. Participants included fixed, mobile, cable and ISP operators, vendors, consultancies and regulators. The panel also favoured a cross-channel access approach to the mobile Internet, with 24% advocating leveraging SMS and MMS to increase revenues. MMS in particular was seen as a multimedia distribution channel for Internet-originated commercial content, as well as user-generated content, with 58% believing this to be its biggest value-add. Only 15% believed that the future of MMS is restricted to P2P multimedia sharing. 
Asked how operators can avoid price commoditisation as a result of flat rate pricing models for the mobile Internet, the industry experts favoured two options. The most popular (44%) was to offer differentiated Internet packages targeted to individual consumer segments, ranging from basic to premium offerings with specific flat-rate price points. Almost as popular, 36% of delegates thought that mobile operators are in a position to charge internet brands for providing an optimised mobile Internet experience against assured service levels.
Industry experts are in close agreement; operators have a golden opportunity to boost revenues with the mobile Internet but the right strategy is crucial, says Acision Product Marketing Director, Tom Veldman. A holistic approach will be key – operators should maximise their value-add by leveraging the entire mobile ecosystem at their disposal, from location based services to SMS interactivity. Revenues will come directly from the customer through usage of mobile Internet services, but operators can also expect indirect revenues from Internet brands that are keen to increase interaction with their users by mobilising their offerings.”