Abstract

Abstract
The environments of software development and software provision are shifting to Web-based platforms supported by Platform/Software as a Service (PaaS/SaaS) models. This paper will make the case that there is equally an opportunity for mobile operators to identify additional sources of revenue by exposing network functionalities through Web-based service platforms. By elaborating on the concepts, benefits and risks of SaaS and PaaS, several factors that should be taken into consideration in applying these models to the telecom world are delineated. © ICST Institute for Computer Sciences, Social-Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering 2009.

Abstract
In the context of telecommunications networks, the concept of self-organisation implies the introduction of functionalities that lead to the automation of network operational tasks and reduce the need for manual intervention. By introducing Self-Organising Networks (SON) and their self-x functionalities several technical and business gains are expected: increase of spectral efficiency, provision of DSA mechanisms and enhancement of radio resource management, improvement of QoS and QoE, lower cost of ownership, reduction of OPEX and increase of service value. In order to assess the trade-off between costs and benefits of future investments in SON, this paper intends to qualify the impact of each self-x functionality in the business of operators, as well as identify the requirements and the value delivered to the various actors of the value network. Copyright © 2010 The authors.

Abstract
This paper describes the platformisation of the mobile services domain, which in recent years has become a successful strategy for some hardware manufacturers and software companies. While pursuing diverging platform strategies and business models, they have succeeded in creating a demand for mobile software and content with end-users. Mobile network operators have lagged behind in this area and are now attempting to keep up with other initiatives. This paper explores the question which platform type an operator should adopt if he wants to play a meaningful role in the mobile service domain. It describes advantages and disadvantages of different platform types and lists some core competences an operator should have, or develop, in order to successful adopt a certain platform type. © 2010 IEEE.

Abstract
Wireless applications gradually enter every aspect of our life. Unfortunately, these applications must reuse the same scarce spectrum, resulting in increased interference and limited usability. Cognitive Radio proposes to mitigate this problem by adapting the operational parameters of wireless devices to varying interference conditions. However, it involves an increase in cost. In this paper we examine the economic balance between the added cost and the increased usability in one particular real-life scenario. We focus on the production floor of an industrial installation - where wireless sensors monitor production machinery, and a wireless LAN is used as the data backbone. We examine the effects of implementing dynamic spectrum access by means of ideal RF sensing, and model the benefit in terms of increased reliability and battery lifetime. We estimate the financial cost of interference and the potential gain, and conclude that cognitive radio can bring business gains in real-life applications. © 2011 IFIP International Federation for Information Processing.

Abstract
Recent advances in wireless communication theory and semiconductor technology brought wireless to virtually every aspect of our life, and this trend is expected to continue to increase in the future. Unfortunately, as the number of wireless applications grows, the same scarce spectrum is reused over and over again, resulting in increased interference, which jeopardizes the prospect of wireless meeting its high expectations. Dynamic Spectrum Access proposes to mitigate this problem by adapting the operational parameters of wireless networks to varying interference conditions. However, the involved increase in cost threatens to reduce the benefit of wireless in different environments. In this paper we examine the economic balance between the added cost and the increased usability brought about by DSA. We focus on a particular real-life scenario - the production floor of an industrial installation - where there is typically extensive utilization of the ISM band. IEEE 802.15.4 wireless sensors monitor production machinery, and IEEE 802.11 WLAN is used as the data backbone. We model the benefit achieved by adding RF sensing technology in terms of reliability and battery lifetime, and qualitatively assess the cost of interference and the potential gain of introducing sensing technology. Based on this techno-economic analysis, we conclude that if implemented correctly, spectrum sensing can bring business gains in real-life applications. © 2011 IEEE.