Business Models for Mobile Broadband Media Services : A case study about the Indian Market

Abstract: The emergence of Mobile broadband media services creates high expectations among end users and constant challenges among the Mobile network operators. Due to large number of applications for voice and messaging embedded in this Mobile broadband media services, the operators are facing fall in revenue in their traditional voice and SMS services. Now it is the suitable time for the operators to make a shift in their business to provide services via Mobile broadband which could help them improve their service and increase their revenues. In this thesis, various business models that are particularly suitable for Indian market are studied. This thesis also brings out the suitable business model options for Mobile broadband Media Services that has the high possibility to emerge as a profitable business in India. The motivation work for this thesis fundamentally emerged from the question, “How can the operators make profitable business through Mobile broadband media services in Indian market?” To answer the above question, two different market scenarios were studied. • The Swedish Market pre study To understand the successful collaboration model, a Swedish market pre study was done as a part of this thesis. This market pre study analyzed Mobile network operator Telia, music streaming service Spotify and the successful collaborative business model between them. Analysis was done via interviews taken with the officials of Telia as well as Spotify who worked closely in making this collaboration successful. These interview observations provided many insights and detailed information about the individual business needs and interests of Telia and Spotify and how both of them converged to make this collaboration successful. • The Indian market An in-depth market research was done with respect to the operators, OTT players and also taking customer’s trends and mind set in India. This market research gave an exposure to the present condition of the Indian market. The Indian market has many unresolved issues like licensing, bandwidth constraints etc, those have become obstacles in implementing collaborative business for mobile broadband media services. A number of different strategies, business concepts, and different types of co-operation and business scenarios that are suitable for the Indian market have been investigated. Some successful concepts that are available in Swedish market but not in Indian market were identified. Two overall research questions that is applicable for this market is identified for analysis. • What business models are used by the Indian operators and how do they collaborate with media services especially Mobile music and Mobile TV? • What is the view of Indian music industry towards mobile music streaming services collaboration, piracy and customer’s willingness to pay?