Mobile operators collaborate to enable rich mobile web services

Sharon

Sharon Gill

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3rd July 2008

The new initiative will be known as BONDI.

Supported by the OMTP members, including 3 Group, AT&T, T-Mobile, Telenor, Telefonica, Telecom Italia and Vodafone, BONDI will provide a consistent and secure web services interface that can be used by all web developers across multiple device platforms to address a mass market of consumers.

BONDI will harmonise the various open and proprietary ongoing initiatives, and this co-operative work will minimise the potential for technology fragmentation.

Under the OMTP umbrella, BONDI will contribute towards ongoing standardisation work to help create a new rich web experience for mobile whilst ensuring an appropriate degree of protection for mobile phone users.

The new handset software will be engineered in such a way as to prevent fraudulent and malicious activity through unauthorised access to functions or sensitive personal information.

Arnd Gallmann, senior vice president of terminal technology at T-Mobile International, said: "Keeping a lid on fragmentation, whilst at the same time enabling new functionality, will encourage more developers to create unique, exciting applications for mobile web 2.0."

Reinhard Kreft, Vodafone's head of standardisation & industry engagements, added: "With so many diverse mobile devices and operating systems available in today's marketplace, it can be quite challenging to roll out consistent and compelling new services across such a broad spread. BONDI addresses the need to deliver great services across multiple platforms, whilst ensuring that customers are protected from any risk associated with adopting a more open approach to these systems."