GSM Operator Applications
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GSM Operator Applications
Network Interfaces for Applications
An important development related to service evolution is operators making interfaces available to external applications for information and control. Two widely deployed capabilities today include location queries and Short Message Service (SMS). With location, mobile devices or external applications (e.g., applications operating on computers outside of the network) can query the location of a user, subject to privacy restrictions. This can significantly enhance many applications including navigation, supplying location of nearby destinations (e.g., restaurants, stores), location of friends for social networking, and worker dispatch. With SMS, external applications can send user requested content such as flight updates.
Prior to 2009, the interfaces for such functions were either proprietary, or specific to that function. However, there are now interfaces that span multiple functions using a consistent set of programming methods. One set is the Parlay X Web Services, a set of functions specified through a joint project of the Parlay Group, the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) and 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). The Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) now manages the Parlay X specifications. Parlay X Web Services include support for location and SMS, as well as many other functions with which developers will be able to build innovative applications. Operators are beginning to selectively deploy these functions. The advantage of this approach is that developers can build applications that are compatible with multiple operator networks.
Parlay X Specifications
A related project is GSMA OneAPI, a GSM Association project to also define network interfaces, but that prioritizes implementation based on expected market demand. OneAPI defines a simplified Web service for most functions that is essentially a subset of the related Parlay X Web service. It also defines a Representational State Transfer (REST) interface for most functions as an alternative to using the Web service. REST-ful interfaces are simpler for developers to work with and experiment with than Web services.
Regardless of whether operators deploy with Parlay X or OneAPI, these are mainstream interfaces that will open wireless networks to thousands of Internet programmers who will be able to build applications that leverage the latent information and capabilities of wireless networks.
Mobile Application Architectures
Many applications used over wireless connections will be the same as those used over the Internet with desktop/laptop PCs. An increasing number of applications, however, will be developed specifically for mobile devices. This can be a challenge for developers, because there are a number of different mobile platforms now available including Android, Apple iPhone, LiMo, Palm Pre, RIM BlackBerry, Symbian and Windows Mobile. Unlike the desktop market, the mobile device market has become quite fragmented. Each of the device platforms comes with its own application development environment and developers must face a learning curve to become adept at programming for any specific platform. Some developers may be content targeting specific platforms. Others, however, may need their applications to operate across multiple platforms.
Fortunately, there are various developments that address the fragmentation challenge. These include:
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