Growth of Value Added Mobile Services Under Different Scenarios of Industry Evolution

The deployment of new value-added mobile services has had mixed results in terms of adoption rates and revenue generation, despite the fact that mobile operators rely on such services for future growth, in view of saturated markets for the basic voice service. The paper suggests that innovation and growth in the mobile services industry largely depends on the extent to which structural conditions in the industry support widespread experimentation, collaboration and risk-taking. Based on the results of earlier scenario analysis research on mobile business, the paper explores the potential for growth in value added mobile services under different assumptions regarding competition and collaboration in the mobile industry. The paper deliberates the strategic challenges and opportunities for mobile operators, service providers and service integrators under four scenarios for the future of the mobile industry. Given the state of competition and collaboration among those three main roles of industry players in different scenarios, the paper examines the potential for growth in value added mobile services.