InnoPath Powers OTA Updates for KDDI's First Android Device.

"InnoPath Software, the leader in over the air customer care, today announced that its over-the-air update software is being deployed on KDDI’s first Android device, the IS01 from Sharp...

Beyond bug fixes, Android marks a paradigm shift, where new features and functionality are delivered with OTA updates. While there is little debate about the desirability of these updates, there is considerable concern with regards to who actually delivers the updates, with various models having the platform provider, the device maker or the service provider doing updates. While there are advantages and disadvantages to each approach, many service providers want to take control of their own destinies by performing their own updates, thus being in a position to control timing, pacing and exact nature of updates delivered to subscribers, particularly in markets with operator specific or subsidized handsets. InnoPath facilitates this with best-in-class capabilities including package and bandwidth optimization, handset platform pre-integration, and an intuitive user experience."

The hidden cost of the smartphone boom.

"This impact on mobile operators is leading the industry to prioritise investment in solutions that give device management capabilities to front line customer care agents. This includes remote diagnostics, as well as the ability to carry out over the air fixes.

The emphasis is on increasing what InnoPath calls 'first call resolution', and also on freeing up higher tier support for genuinely complex issues. InnoPath says that three year savings from integrating device management at the customer care level at a Tier1 operator could amount to $575 million."

iPad Impact: The iSurface and Mobile Broadband.

David Ginsburg of InnoPath writes: "So, a user could consume anywhere from 5 to 15GB per month. If most of this is over 3G, it will have serious network implications."

InnoPath Software Announces Biodegradable Memento Smartphone.

"InnoPath, building upon its mobile handset and OS expertise, today announced that it is entering the device arena with the Memento, a unique phone with a novel approach to information overload...

The device also uniquely supports FOTA (Firmware-over-the- Air), with updates either via Avian Carrier (RFC 1149) or SFSS (RFC 4824) depending upon bandwidth available."

related: InnoPath Press Release and TechCrunch

TMCnet speaks with David Ginsburg, VP Marketing, InnoPath.

Believe what you hear about InnoPath, they can help you with your cell phone.

"Essentially, the operators will get to see what you are seeing on your phone without saying: 'now, tell me what you see'. It can increase the First Call Resolution (FCR) by a very high percentile.

Personally, I’d like to see every operator have this service, and in the future, it should be set up for Windows Mobile, Android, Symbian, and BlackBerry."

Lost Smartphones Used to Mean Identity Theft, Revealed Secrets and Compromising Photos on the Web.

"With the rise of the smartphone, peril and risk come with convenience and opportunity. Blackberry apps including Bank of America, PayPal and Documents to Go, while illustrating the power of the smartphone, also highlight the risk a lost or stolen device could represent through compromised bank accounts or identity theft, not to mention the loss of sensitive business information. While as a subscriber, you can set a strong password on your phone, many, if not most, fail to do so. With [InnoPath's] ActiveCare for the Blackberry, phones can be remotely locked and wiped by the operator, helping mitigate the risk associated with a lost or stolen phone."

InnoPath Named CTIA Emerging Technology Awards Finalist.

"ActiveCare – Mobile Update is InnoPath’s next generation firmware and software update solution for both smartphones and featurephones. Using Mobile Update, service providers can efficiently update phones over-the-air (OTA), saving operational expenses and increasing customer satisfaction while addressing security, usability and stability issues on handsets in the field. As an added benefit, Mobile Update also results in substantial energy savings, by avoiding customer treks to the phone shop and keeping phones in circulation longer. In fact, InnoPath calculated that in 2009, North American operators created savings of 33M Kg of CO2 across over 3.5 million successful OTA updates."

RCR Wireless speaks with David Ginsburg, VP Marketing, InnoPath.

InnoPath speaks with bnetTV.com.

"InnoPath David Ginsburg talks to us about real time users on smart phones."

Video is available here.

AT&T, Verizon and Sprint 4G: Not so fast.

"Providers aren't very optimistic, according to a recent study of 200 global wireless operators by mobile software company InnoPath. They say Web browsing, e-mail and messaging drive growth over the next five years, and those services are already delivered satisfactorily at 3G speeds.

But down the road, if 4G's potential speeds are realized, the survey's respondents said that a greater return on investment will be reached. More than 60% believe that 4G applications that allow for enhanced functionality like video chatting will enable mobile providers to sell ads and generate profits."

InnoPath ActiveCare Supports Android, the iPhone, Blackberry, Symbian, and Windows phone.

"Recently, InnoPath commissioned a first-ever survey by the EIU [Economist Intelligence Unit]... Findings include:

• Data is critical to survival, and data revenue will help hold the line against falling voice revenue but not drive top-line growth. Service providers must therefore strike a careful balance between network investment, service deployment, and ongoing operational expenses such as those to support email and browsing. Frontline efficiency and customer satisfaction are critical to success, even more-so where unlimited use pricing plans are still common.
• Service providers understand they must operate in [a] world beyond the 'walled garden' and must drive revenue by playing an active role in the new open world of smartphones and app stores, building or partnering where appropriate. However, they are still developing their strategy.
• Service assurance and customer satisfaction, based on device and application ease of use, is critical in a world of competition and commoditization. In fact, this may be more important than just the basic investment in next generation networks.

'While it's clear that smartphones are driving wireless growth today, it's also clear that subscribers will choose a service provider based on the quality of the experience,' said Nancee Ruzicka, Analyst at Stratecast (a division of Frost & Sullivan). 'As a result, service providers must differentiate themselves based on the usability and performance of mobile data services and applications.'"

InnoPath Supports its Customers, Even if Google with its Nexus One Doesn't.

"Most operators can’t dodge the support bullet, even if their OEM partners might try to. With this in mind InnoPath... today announced ActiveCare support software is available for new phones and devices from Nokia, Samsung, LG, Hitachi, Pantech and Casio Hitachi. Over-the-air customer care helps operators combat the rising cost of supporting sophisticated new phones while providing better support for their subscribers. In addition to these new client shipments, the company announced an additional US Patent (7,516,451) covering mobile updates, bringing the company’s patent count to 21."

Managing devices: the next big mobile opportunity.

"'This year, we’re beginning to see the first deployments of mobile device management for front-line customer care, where the operator drives it rather than waiting for [those capabilities] to bubble up from device makers,' said David Ginsburg, vice president of marketing at InnoPath, which counts AT&T, China Unicom, KDDI and Verizon Wireless among its mobile operator customers. 'It’s something that operators realize is going to make a difference, including delivering immediate cost savings.'

...Mobile device management capabilities are 'one of the few remaining strategic differentiators available to tier-one operators,' said Stephen Drake, IDC analyst. It also addresses an operator’s largest operational expense – customer care, Drake said."

Google's Nexus One and the Brave New World of Non-Support.

Jason Lackey, marketing manager at InnoPath, writes: "With the Nexus One? Well, we have three vendors. HTC, which made the hardware but didn’t sell it, is not interested in hearing from you. Tmobile, which runs the network but didn’t sell you the phone, is interested in getting your monthly check but doesn’t want to hear about your open market unlocked phone you bought off the internet. Google, who sold the phone, doesn’t want your call either, but they will take your money and perhaps point you at some self help stuff on the Web.

Welcome to the Brave New World."

Google's Nexus One and the Brave New World of Non-Support.

Jason Lackey, marketing manager at InnoPath, writes: "With the Nexus One? Well, we have three vendors. HTC, which made the hardware but didn’t sell it, is not interested in hearing from you. Tmobile, which runs the network but didn’t sell you the phone, is interested in getting your monthly check but doesn’t want to hear about your open market unlocked phone you bought off the internet. Google, who sold the phone, doesn’t want your call either, but they will take your money and perhaps point you at some self help stuff on the Web.

Welcome to the Brave New World."

Et Tu, Andy: Did Google Betray or Bungle?

Jason Lackey, marketing manager at InnoPath, writes: "Fortunately for Google, they are, at least for now, in a very strong position indeed. Giant war chest, tremendous resources and what seems to be almost unstoppable momentum in the mobile space. In a world where even pennies on the BOM can make a big difference, an OS that is not only free but also better than just about everything else out there with the possible exceptions of Apple and Palm, is a powerful persuader and for most will be adequate to get them over the hump presented by 'all partners are equal but some partners are more equal than others when it comes to providing the Best Possible Google Experience.' For now.

Used to be that Steve Jobs was the only sheriff in this town. Now we have another, just not clear if he’s wearing a white hat or a black one."

InnoPath Delivers a Green Christmas Over The Air.

"In a single year, the positive impact of the InnoPath solution on North America alone is therefore almost 33M Kg. With a typical lump of coal weighing in at approximately 110 grams, this is enough to head off at least one lump of coal for the stocking of every man, woman and child in the United States, regardless of how naughty or nice they may be."

Smartphone, Heal Thyself: Droids, OTA Updates and FOTA.

"FOTA adoption has been a little bit slower in the United States, but this is quickly changing. In 2009 alone, more than 3.5 million devices were updated in the field using FOTA. While the problems addressed may not be earth shattering, they do include things like excessive power consumption, PTT issues, dropped calls, audio issues, problems with the contacts database, and problems with blue tooth connections. In short, a whole bunch of little things that would slowly drive a person mad.

Customer satisfaction and reducing churn are just part of the goodness of FOTA. Taking a greener, more global perspective, every time bugs are patched over-the-air, a trip to a store is eliminated, saving resources and reducing pollution. Maybe not much, but repeat even a very small thing often enough and it becomes a much bigger thing."

Customer Care: Prepaid Copies Postpaid.

"Companies that help manage customer service systems say the rise of customer care in the prepaid space is a relatively new but growing phenomenon. 'Up until a couple months ago, I would have said our entire base was postpaid,' says InnoPath’s Vice President of Marketing Dave Ginsburg. 'What’s happening is that [prepaid carriers] are focusing more on the customer experience. They’re beginning to speak with us about the same concerns as postpaid carriers would have.'...

Prepaid carriers have to be particularly vigilant about managing the costs associated with customer care, says Brian Pawlus, director of product marketing at Oracle Communication’s billing unit. 'They have to provide a really right self-service environment,' he says. 'Prepaid customers are typically low-margin… Even one call to a customer service center can wipe out the profit margin for that customer.'"