The Business Implications of an "Open" Mobile Ecosystem

One way of illustrating the complexity of the mobile broadband ecosystem is simply to take a look at the ecosystem visually. Econsultancy has a new "infographic" that includes a bewildering array of industry segments and roles. Download the chart here: http://econsultancy.com/us/blog/7649-mobile-stats-and-trends-at-a-glance. iuiui

If you routinely spend a lot of time following developments in the access provider space (telcos, cable), the first thing you will notice is how much of the ecosystem now exists outside the actual ownership of the access providers themselves.

A huge amount of activity now happens in the formerly distinct advertising, applications, content, publishing and commerce realms. Much of the activity occurs in realms allied to the access business, but still separate, such as mobile apps and devices.

Access providers are not just providers of "access to the Internet," of course, and if they have anything to say about the matter, increasingly will find new roles that build on the access role. But it might be striking to see an illustration of the mobile ecosystem where the "access" is such a tiny part of the overall fabric.

But that tells you quite a lot about the new and more open ecosystem that is the future of the access business.

The Mobile Ecosystem: An Overview