The absence of online metrics and standardisation across mobile networks are the biggest inhibitors to mobile television, video and advertising from being rolled out in Australia, said Kursten Leins, strategic marketing manager multimedia at Ericsson Australia.
Speaking at the Australian Interactive Industry Association(AIMIA) conference this week, he said that the uptake of mobile TV and video content, as well as mobile advertising in Australia, has been slow due to the expense of delivering such content over current broadcast networks , he claims. While the availability of emerging technologies like multimedia broadcast multicast service (MBMS) which will enable content to be broadcast over existing cellular networks, and the uptake of compatible handsets, will significantly reduce costs for the mobile operator and consumer, Leins said advertiser commitment to mobile will be impeded by the lack of mobile measurement standards.
“I think the opportunity is there for a range of mobile video services, including advertising, to increase, but the missing link at the moment is the lack of online metrics and standardisation,” he said.
“Unlike the online space where advertisers only need to deal with a few different browsers, and the network doesn’t really matter, mobile requires them to have agreements with all the operators you are working with.”
Last year’s launch of advertising best practise and guidelines by the Australian Interactive Media Industry Association (AIMIA) provided an overview of advertising requirements and standards but so far no one has agreed on a standard of metrics.
“This is more a collaboration issue than a technological one,” Leins said.
“I think the mobile industry will learn a lot from recent developments in online measurement standards.”
Ericsson Australia predicts Australia is still a year or two away from rolling out comprehensive mobile TV, video content and mobile advertising that is not text- or SMS based.
The MBMS technology, which enables operators to broadcast video content over their existing voice and data networks, is available now but has yet to be deployed by local operators, although operator 3 has trialled the platform extensively in Australia. .
The roll out of MBMS will drive down costs for operators, consumers and advertisers , he claims.
“With technology like MBMS an operator or off-portal provider can deliver mobile TV services and can also use it for pushing out video clips, or a proper video ad to many recipients at a very low cost," Leins said.
