Nokia plans one-stop content shop for mobile networks

By Alun Williams

Posted on 26 Oct 2004 at 10:23

Preminet is Nokia's name for a new delivery system for mobile content, such as games and other applications. Gathering together in to one master catalogue a whole range of Java and Symbian OS software, it also provides a framework for delivering billing and distributing revenues.

'Until now, each operator has been responsible for maintaining hundreds of relationships with individual Java and Symbian OS developers and sourcing and testing each application before bringing them to the end-user,' said Lee Epting, VP of Forum Nokia. 'With Preminet, we now provide a single source for operators to acquire a comprehensive range of industry certified content, applications and services, and a complete platform for managing distribution to their customers.'

Essentially, Preminet is intended to streamline the delivery of content for smartphones and maximise potential revenues for developers that target this market. The goal is to provide a single channel - the Preminet Master Catalogue - to what Nokia describes as 'the wireless industry's largest addressable market'.

All of the applications in Preminet will be tested under the Java Verified Program and Symbian Signed testing and certification initiatives, which were launched earlier this year.

In terms of the split of the revenues - Nokia is not a disinterested party - the developer will set the price for their content, and a percentage of that price will go directly to the developer, another percentage going to the operator, and a remaining percentage to Nokia - to cover the expense of operating the system, a Nokia spokesperson told us. The price setting and business model will vary to reflect local market conditions and operator margin requirements, they added.

Nokia sates that Preminet is agnostic in terms of working across GSM, CDMA and other types of cellular networks. It will, however, be based on developers working with Forum Nokia. Preminet is also likely to include paid-for content.

More information about Preminet is promised at www.nokia.com/preminet.

Some stats quoted by the Finnish telecommunications giant include the 350 million Java-enabled handsets that are in existence as of June 2004 (rising to 1.5bn within three years) and the dominance of Symbian OS as the platform for more than two-thirds of the world's smartphones.

The challenge of raising revenues from such a market place is one that grows each year and becomes more pressing as network costs increase, for example developing the 3G infrastructure.