The wireless industry has a way of hitting on all cylinders at the same time. Last week at CTIA Wireless 2006 in Las Vegas, much talk revolved around filtering content.
Indeed, carriers are committed to making sure that adults can have access to the content they want, but adhere to laws that protect under-age cell-phone users from accessing content they should not legally see.
Parental control is at the core of Disney Mobile’s upcoming mobile virtual network operator service. Even as the giant Mouse plans to enrich its already-very-tight embrace with the tween market through content, the filters will appeal to their parents.
At first blush, it appears Disney’s plans will appease parents leery about giving cell phones to their children. Disney wisely will let the parents decide who their children can call, when they can make calls and-most importantly-who they cannot call and what they cannot access.
A handful of companies at the show were demonstrating how their filters and monitoring services can block unwanted content. I doubt any system will be perfect, but the wireless industry is smart to address these potential problems before mass-market adoption of data services.
Interestingly, filters are more than just for parents who want to control who, when and how much their kids use their wireless devices or how many times they download High School Musical ringtones. (High School Musical is a Disney made-for-TV movie that is all the rage right now in the tween market-at least in my neighborhood.)
As is often the case in the wireless world, what works for the mass market also can be tailored to the enterprise environment. The uses are different, but the technology is the same.
Businesses are interested in filters too as a way to control or monitor what their employees can access online, said E.Y. Snowden, president and chief executive officer of bcgi. For example, employers may not want their workers to make travel reservations or shop online.
The filters aren’t about blocking access, Snowden contends, they’re about gaining productivity for employees, and about enabling revenue for carriers.
As operators continue to compete for customers and their disposable dollars, controls are increasingly more important.
But used properly, controls are liberating. And can even knock down a barrier toward cell-phone ownership for younger target audiences.
