Multimedia Mobile Content Distribution

The migration and distribution of multimedia web content to mobile devices has only just scratched the surface. There is expected to be an explosive growth in mobile content in the next 5 to 10 years. Revolutionary audio and video rich mobile devices capable of accessing multiple mobile and wireless networks concurrently will shape the future of mobile content distribution technologies. Combining this with people's willingness to communicate anytime, anywhere will redefine key assumptions that govern the delivery of content into the mobile world.

Traditionally mobile content has always been fed from the content distributor or publisher to the end-user. However, the rising popularity of user-generated content, which in turn is being driven by trends like mobile social networking, citizen journalism and the ubiquitous presence of camera phones, is leading to mobile content being shared between end-users. Currently the sharing of mobile content is done using a client-server based architecture, which is not the most efficient way of sharing content.
The key value addition that will enable effective and efficient mobile content distribution will stem from the re-engineering of the mobile content network architecture itself. This refers to the emergence of distributed peer to peer architectures replacing the current client server based architectures.

This report highlights opportunities within the mobile content distribution market, as well as emerging threats and concerns of how new technologies might impact the current content delivery model. This report covers:

- Evolutionary sketch of the content distribution paradigm of the web
- Emerging trends that help shape the future of mobile content distribution
- Mobile content distribution value chain analysis
- Exploring strategies for content value chain players
- Market forecasts of the mobile content distribution market

Overall, the report aims to provide mobile network operators, content distribution network operators, content publishers, web advertisers and content owners a fresh perspective and a strategic rethink of the mobile content distribution market and the opportunities within it. It also explores the key question whether the peer-to-peer collaborative paradigm is likely to have a disruptive effect on mobile content distribution and the global mobile services market. SHOW LESS READ MORE >

Chapter One: Executive Summary

1.1 Overview
1.2 Forecast
1.3 Major Conclusions

List of Exhibits

Exhibit 1.1: Multi-modality, Session Management and Peer to Peer Augmented Techniques in a Mobile Content Distribution Network
Exhibit 1.2: Disruption in Mobile Content Value Chain
Exhibit 1.3: Fisher-Pry Model
Exhibit 1.4: Gompertz Curve
Exhibit 1.5: Exhibit 1.5: Revenue Opportunity at Risk as a % of Total Multimedia Mobile Content Revenue Opportunity—Chart

Chapter Two: Introduction

2.1 Emergence of Mobile Content Distribution Network
2.2 Mobile Content Classification
2.2.1 Packetized Data
2.2.2 Packetized Stream
2.2.3 Broadcast
2.3 Multimedia Mobile Content Distribution Market

List of Exhibits

Exhibit 2.1: Mobile Oriented Content Classification
Exhibit 2.3: Global Multimedia Mobile Content Distribution Revenues (in US$ millions)
Exhibit 2.2: Global Multimedia Mobile Content Distribution Traffic

Chapter Three: Content Distribution Technologies

3.1 Content Distribution Architectures in Internet
3.1.1 Forward and Reverse Proxies
3.1.2 Content Distribution Network
3.1.3 Peer-to-Peer Network
3.1.4 Competitive Landscape
3.2 Content Distribution in Mobile Internet
3.2.1 Station-Mobile Architecture and Applications
3.2.2 Proxy-based Architectural Augmentation and Applications
3.2.3 A Case Study: Zannel

List of Exhibits

Exhibit 3.1: Client Server Architectures
Exhibit 3.2: Content Delivery Example (without Content Distribution Network)
Exhibit 3.3: Forward Proxy Architecture
Exhibit 3.4: Reverse Proxy Architecture
Exhibit 3.5: Content Distribution Architecture
Exhibit 3.6: Content Delivery Example (with CDN)
Exhibit 3.7: Comparison of Akamai vs. Limelight
Exhibit 3.8: Peer-to-Peer Network
Exhibit 3.9: Classification of Peer-to-Peer Networks
Exhibit 3.10: Content Distribution Competitive Landscape
Exhibit 3.11: Basic Wireless Communication Architecture
Exhibit 3.12: Station-Mobile Distribution Architecture
Exhibit 3.13: Proxy augmented Mobile oriented Distribution Architecture
Exhibit 3.14: Zannel Proxying Architecture

Chapter Four: Mobile Content Distribution Evolution

4.1 Mobile Content Distribution Network
4.1.1 Multi-modality
4.1.2 Session Management
4.2 Peer-to-Peer and Mobile Content Distribution Network
4.2.1 Peer-to-Peer assisted Mobile Content Distribution Network
4.2.2 Peer-to-Peer Augmented Mobile Content Distribution Network

List of Exhibits

Exhibit 4.1: Multi-modality—Separating Control from Data
Exhibit 4.2: Session Management—Mobile Forward and Mobile Reverse Proxies
Exhibit 4.3: Session Management—Always Best Connected
Exhibit 4.4: Session Management—Spliced Content Delivery
Exhibit 4.5: Peer-to-Peer assisted Mobile Content Distribution
Exhibit 4.6: Peer-to-Peer augmented Mobile Content Distribution
Exhibit 4.7: P2P Assisted Distribution vs. P2P Augmented Distribution

Chapter Five: Multimedia Mobile Content Distribution Value Chain and Market Forecasts

5.1 Content Distribution Value Chain Analysis
5.1.1 Key Players
5.1.2 Cost Model
5.1.3 Multimedia Mobile Content Distribution Value Chain
5.2 Market Forecast Methodology
5.2.1 Fisher-Pry Model
5.2.2 Gompertz Curve
5.2.3 Methodology Flowchart
5.3 Market Forecasts
5.3.1 Multimedia Mobile Content Distribution Revenues
5.3.2 Multimedia Mobile Content Distribution Traffic
5.3.3 Multimedia Mobile Content Distribution Traffic using Alternative Routing Techniques
5.3.4 Multimedia Mobile Content Distribution Revenues Affected by Alternate Route

List of Exhibits

Exhibit 5.1: Content Distribution Value Chain
Exhibit 5.2: Cost Model
Exhibit 5.3: Disruption in Mobile Content Value Chain
Exhibit 5.4: Fisher-Pry Model
Exhibit 5.5: Gompertz Curve
Exhibit 5.6: Basic Methodology for Forecasts
Exhibit 5.7: Multimedia Mobile Content Distribution Revenues (in US$ millions)—By Geography (Chart)
Exhibit 5.8: Multimedia Mobile Content Distribution Revenues (in US$ millions)—By Geography (Table)
Exhibit 5.9: Multimedia Mobile Content Distribution Revenues (in US$ millions)—By Traffic Type (Chart)
Exhibit 5.10: Multimedia Mobile Content Distribution Revenues (in US$ millions)—By Traffic Type (Table)
Exhibit 5.11: Multimedia Mobile Content Distribution Revenues (in US$ millions)—By Traffic and Geography 2007 (Chart)
Exhibit 5.12: Multimedia Mobile Content Distribution Revenues (in US$ millions)—By Traffic and Geography 2007 (Table)
Exhibit 5.13: Multimedia Mobile Content Distribution Revenues (in US$ millions)—By Traffic and Geography 2012 (Chart)
Exhibit 5.14: Multimedia Mobile Content Distribution Revenues (in US$ millions)—By Traffic and Geography 2012 (Table)
Exhibit 5.15: Multimedia Mobile Content Distribution Traffic (Units/Subs in millions)—(Table)
Exhibit 5.16: Global Estimated MMCD Traffic Using Alternative Distribution Mechanisms (%)—Chart
Exhibit 5.17: Global Estimated MMCD Traffic Using Alternative Distribution Mechanisms (%)—Table
Exhibit 5.18: Traffic Breakup of MMMC Revenue Opportunity at Risk Due to Alternative Distribution Mechanisms (US$ millions)—Chart
Exhibit 5.19: Exhibit 5.19: Traffic Breakup of MMMC Revenue Opportunity at Risk Due to Alternative Distribution Mechanisms (US$ millions)—Table
Exhibit 5.20: Exhibit 5.20: Regional Estimated Revenues at Risk Due to Traffic Using Alternative Distribution Mechanisms (US$ millions)—Chart
Exhibit 5.21: Exhibit 5.21: Regional Estimated Revenue Opportunity at Risk Due to Traffic Using Alternative Distribution Mechanisms (US$ millions)—Table
Exhibit 5.22: Revenue Opportunity at Risk as a % of Total Multimedia Mobile Content Revenue Opportunity—Chart
Exhibit 5.23: Estimated Revenue Opportunity at Risk as a % of Total MMCD Revenues—Table

Chapter Six: Multimedia Mobile Content Distribution—New opportunities and Strategies

6.1 New Opportunities and Strategies
6.1.1 Mobile Network Operators
6.1.2 Content Distributors
6.1.3 Handset Manufacturers
6.1.4 Content Owners and Publishers
6.1.5 Advertisers

Chapter Seven: Conclusions

Traditionally, mobile content has been fed from the content distributor or publisher to the end-user. In other words, content has originated from within the network itself. This method for delivery of mobile content is implemented using client-server architecture and while it is the current trend, it is not necessarily the most efficient way of distributing content. At the same time, Pioneer is seeing a rise in the popularity of content that originates from the end users themselves. User Originated Content (UOC) is a combination of User Generated Content (UGC), which includes personal photos, videos being captured on mobile devices, and other non-UGC content or off-the shelf content that is downloaded, purchased and consumed by the end user. Both UGC and off-the-shelf content are stored locally on handsets. The majority of this content includes multimedia files of music, videos, pictures and games. UOC is being driven by trends like mobile social networking, citizen journalism and camera/video phones. UOC is leading to mobile content being increasingly shared between end-users and is a new motivator for the market with many opportunities.

The rise of UOC and the need to improve the efficiency of current mobile content distribution architectures requires a radical shift in how we view these networks. The key value addition that will enable effective and efficient mobile content distribution will stem from the re-engineering of the mobile content network architecture itself. This refers to the emergence of distributed peering or peer-to-peer architectures replacing the current client-server based architectures.

Pioneer believes that two forms of Mobile Content Distribution Networks will emerge:

- Multi-modality augmented mobile content distribution:
This technique uses multiple wireless access technologies on a single device to distribute content. For instance, a mobile device may have a 3G interface and a WiFi interface, whereby the more expansive 3G interface, in terms of cost associated with access, is used to control the distribution of content while the cheaper alternative is used to distribute the content itself.

- Session augmented mobile content distribution:
This uses session management technologies within the communication protocol stack to track communication sessions. Also, a device may switch to different access networks over a single communication session based on an “always best connected” preference, whereby it switches the use of wireless interfaces whenever a cheaper alternative, in terms of access cost, becomes available.

Pioneer also believes, that given the rise of User-Originated Content (UOC), a completely different approach in mobile content distribution is likely to emerge. This includes an approach where Peer-to-Peer technologies are used to assist or augment multi-modality or session management based mobile content distribution models. In the Peer-to-Peer assisted approach, network nodes within the mobile core network will act as peering nodes to the mobile device. This increases content diffusion performance. In the Peer-to-Peer augmented approach, a device is able to receive content both from the network and directly from a mobile device via Peer-to-Peer communication technologies. Peer-to-Peer mobile content distribution technology is disruptive and Pioneer believes that it will cause a reformation of the mobile content distribution value chain. Over time, we expect consumers will not only become content owners but will be able to distribute that content without the help of infrastructure operators, content providers or aggregators. This value chain disruption is where the end value or content is directly fed from another end user rather than through the traditional value chain.

The annual worldwide Multimedia Content Distribution (MMCD) revenue is expected to reach US$58 billion by 2012. Video and music is expected to see the largest growth during the period 2007-12. Pioneer sees a part of this multimedia traffic taking an alternative distribution route, using peer-to-peer techniques, and equates the shift in the traffic path to adding an element of risk to potential revenue opportunities for the mobile content value chain. Pioneer estimates that the annual revenue opportunity at risk will reach US$16.4 billion by 2012, which will be 28% of the total revenue opportunity that year.

Slyck.com

Mobile Technology Could take P2P into the Future
Posted on Tue Jun 24, 2008 2:12 pm

There are a few studies floating around today regarding P2P and file-sharing. Sandvine threw their numbers out with the stunning yet not so surprising claim that about 44% of Internet traffic is consumed with P2P traffic. This has remained fairly consistent over the years, as several bandwidth management companies have even floated numbers at high at 75%.
But what's in a number really. Well, if you're on the losing side of a P2P transfer, that number equates to lost money. And with hand held devices such as the mobile phone beginning to encroach on the computing landscape, the entertainment industry may survive the current salvo only to face a new nightmare - the war against the handheld machines.
In recent years, laptop computing has become flat out cheap. For less than $300, the consumer can bridge the digital divide and join the Internet fracas. And who wants to miss out on that? Since the mid part of this decade, laptop sales have encroached upon, and then exceeded desktop sales. With the economic downturn crunching wallets, the less expensive laptop option has become much more viable.

The logic makes sense. Not only are laptops cheap, they've become stylish and can outperform many larger desktops. And their major selling point? Portability. While the battery still seems to take up a bulk of their weight, this is slowly improving. If nothing else, the power to weight ratio has improved dramatically over the past several years. That technological progress has translated to small, portable devices as well.

The cell phone, for example, is no longer the plastic brick it was 15 years ago. What was once merely a phone is now a small, near-fully functional computer. The iPhone has come close to blurring the lines completely, yet we're still not quite there yet. But incrementally, the computer's functionality is coming to the mobile devices - WiFi, web browsing, email, document productivity, and of course, file-sharing. What good is a mobile phone if the consumer can’t listen to music, play games, and watch movies?

The operating systems on most mobile devices flat out stink, which impeded file-sharing development to some extent. However, with the advent of web based file-sharing clients, this is no longer the serious detriment it once was. Although obstacles still remain, sharing music and movies via the mobile phone is becoming increasingly mainstream. And if the latest research from Pioneer Consulting is even remotely correct, the uptake of filesharing on mobile devices could cost the entertainment industry a staggering $16.4 billion by 2012.

The entirely research document isn’t published, as Pioneer Consulting charges several thousand dollars for their work. However, Pioneer recognizes that the technology mobile devices use to distribute content is worlds ahead of the technology used by the entertainment industry.
“Mobile operators need to embrace peer to peer (P2P) methodologies within their own networks and focus on the advantages of using both assisted P2P and augmented P2P to mitigate the disruption”. Aditya Kaul, Senior Analyst, Emerging Wireless at Pioneer adds that, “P2P is generally treated with contempt by operators and has now become the ‘P’ word that should never be uttered. It is more of an attitude problem rather than an engineering one, and unless operators wake up to the reality of the situation, we cannot even begin to solve the problem”.

This seems like a mantra that’s been uttered many times before in the past. The entertainment industry needs to change otherwise technology will simply leave it in the dust. Centralized networking may have worked great back in 1995, but Napster revolutionized that concept, and the technology is still only getting started.

TelecomTV - TelecomTV One - News

Going with the grain: operators urged to turn P2P to their advantage
25/06/2008 12:48:00 - by Ian Scales

Mentioning P2P (peer-to-peer) file transfer at a mobile operator gathering and you'll set off a ripple of lip curling and angry muttering. But it's a gut response that needs a careful re-evaluation, according to a recent report published by Pioneer Consulting.

Pioneer cites some big numbers extrapolated from estimates of mobile content worth by 2012 and concludes that US$16.4 billion in revenues might be at risk from users bypassing the mobile content value chain and swapping files on a P2P basis, especially between close peer groups and family members.

Of course with next generation bluetooth (which uses WiFi as a bearer for large files, where it's available on both devices) the ease with which content can be shared is greatly increased. And with increasingly 'friendly' user interfaces on mobile devices - like those on theiPhone - users are bound to share more content, such as user generated photographs and videos AND copyright music and video, on a whim. According to the report's authors, “P2P is generally treated with contempt by operators and has now become the 'P' word that should never be uttered. It is more of an attitude problem rather than an engineering one, and unless operators wake up to the reality of the situation, we cannot even begin to solve the problem”.

The report is yet another cry for operators think with the grain of the technology and the way users want to use it, rather than simply trying to stand against P2P as commercially and technically disruptive. “Mobile operators need to embrace peer to peer (P2P) methodologies within their own networks and focus on the advantages of using both assisted P2P and augmented P2P to mitigate the disruption.”

The bottom line, of course, is that treating P2P as a problem to be squashed ultimately won't work because users will continue to do it one way or the other. Network operators need to build their networks and business models around that simple fact.