Bridgewater Systems - Service Innovation

Social networking. Video. Mobile banking. Today’s consumers and businesses want the Internet experience on their mobile devices and they want service plans that reflect their personal preferences. They want to get the services they want, when, where and how they want them, and pay their way.

Service providers can attract and retain subscribers by adopting innovative service models. They can personalize services with real-time information such as:

Demographics, lifestyle and social profile.
The devices and networks being used.
Where the subscriber is located and roaming status.
What applications are being accessed at different times of day, or days of the week.
What the subscriber is currently doing.

They can offer casual and flexible usage, on-demand access to applications, tiered services, and service extensions, as well as traditional pre-paid, post-paid and flat-rate plans. They can also deliver new subscriber services that are paid for by mobile advertising and revenue sharing with third-party application providers.

Bridgewater’s' mobile personalization portfolio enables service providers to generate new revenue streams through innovative service models by brokering real-time subscriber data to personalize applications, and implementing smart network, application, and subscriber policy controls such as fair usage, dynamic metering, and over-the-air provisioning of devices and services. These solutions allow service providers to develop and support a variety of service models that appeal to a wide range of subscribers and budgets.

Challenges for Service Providers

The sheer complexity of offering a choice of service models - whether it is creating new revenue streams from revenue-sharing models, advertising-supported applications, or personalized service plans - is a significant challenge. To enable service model innovation, service providers need:

A real-time, unified view of subscriber profiles, usage, and dynamic state to personalize services and allow changes on the fly.
The ability to redirect customers to payment portals in real time if they opt to upgrade or change services.
Complex charging rules with many variables such as whether the subscriber is using on or off portal applications, is roaming, or is using a metered, tiered or pay as you go service.
The flexibility to implement new service models quickly, while minimizing complexity and impact on billing systems.
The ability to broker subscriber data to third-party applications while protecting subscriber privacy.
To extend control to subscribers by allowing them to "self-provision" network access, services and appilcations - and ensure that appropriate systems are in place to handle such activity.
Ensure authentication, authoriztion and accounting systems can accommodate new service models.

Bridgewater Solution and Benefits

Our mobile personalization portfolio enables service providers to offer a broad range of service models that serve a variety of needs and budgets including:

The ability to personalize and modify services based on real time context such as the person's location, roaming status, or the time of day.
Over-the-air provisioning for subscribers and devices, eliminating the need for traditional provisioning that requires customer service intervention.
Authorization and tracking subscriber access to applications and content on a per-subscriber basis.
Support for multiple business models such as revenue-sharing, advertising, and extending control to subscribers.
Traditional pre-paid and post-paid plans as well as flat-rate plans.
Adaptable service extensions that accommodate high bandwidth users while protecting network resources.
Casual usage models that allow flexible access to services on a tiered, metered or pay-as-you-go basis.
Flexible wholesale network services for retail service providers.

Bridgewater’s Subscriber Data Broker™ enables a centralized view of subscriber information including service entitlements, subscriber preferences, real time context, usage, and billing profiles.

The Bridgewater® Policy Controller (PCRF) manages how and under which circumstances subscribers have access to applications and content at the appropriate quality of service. It also features session-level policy controls to manage network resources and ensure fair usage.

The Bridgewater® Service Controller (AAA) provides authentication, authorization, and accounting; real-time session management to enable mobility, roaming, security, and usage tracking; pre-paid and post-paid charging functions; and support of multiple business models.

Benefits at a Glance

Service Providers

Deliver personalized services including enhanced third-party applications.
Attract and retain subscribers.
Improved ARPU.
New Revenue models - revenue sharing with third-parties, advertising, premium content.
Attract 'free agent' subscribers with casual user and day pass services.

Subscribers

Greater choice and convenience based on individual subscriber requirements.
Flexible plans that fit all needs and budgets.
Better service that adapts to subscriber behaviour in real time.
Receive new applications at a discount in exchange for advertising or personal data.
Try new services on a casual or daily basis.