P1118

Bluetooth Access: A promising Access Technology to Ubiquitous Computing Services 

closed

Bluetooth is identified as the common standard for wireless, device independent connection between all kind of customer devices as e.g. mobile phones, PDA, cameras, and computers. There is widespread backing for Bluetooth from mobile equipment manufacturers. Gartner Group has predicted that by 2004, 75% of all new mobile handsets sold will be Bluetooth enabled.

Global mobility and request for advanced data services will cause demand for service delivery in many different locations. The provision of value added services in a Ubiquitous Computing environment is dependent on a billing infrastructure that allows micro payments. This is a huge market opportunity for Telco operators who have the required know how, equipment and customer relations to operate such a system.

Users are using an ever-increasing range of terminals and communication devices which are becoming increasingly capable of interconnection. Connecting these for useful online services while at home or at the office is quite easy compared to while in public places. Some party must offer an easy and secure way to get these devices on-line and connected while the user is on the move.

What are the main objectives of this Project?

• To design a platform which allows users with Bluetooth enabled devices to securely access advanced services in public places.
• To identify which services can be offered to users via this platform, and which are the most profitable/likely service scenarios for TelCos to target. Some of these services will be prototypically implemented.
  Different types of Bluetooth access will be considered : public, semi-private, corporate, private.
• To investigate business models for these scenarios to see which parties would be involved, and how they would need to interact.
• To create a demonstrator of the platform using real Bluetooth equipment and other ubiquitous computing technologies to show proof of concept.
  

What are the key results of this Project?

• A specification of the services platform (for the operator)
• A list of suggested services and scenarios (for the operator)
• Some new requirements on terminals to allow them get access to the platform (for the equipment manufacturers)
• An overview on the necessary standardisation for the provision of Ubiquitous Computing services (for the operator, service providers, and manufacturers).
• The business model (for all parties involved)

What relationship exists to other organisations or bodies?

Results will be brought into suitable standardisation bodies (OMG, IETF, ISO, W3C, etc.), or industry-internal consortia (Bluetooth Consortium, ETSI, etc).