3G drives Internet hookup.

This is China's "3G Year", with a new generation of digital telephony bringing hope for the growth of the information industry. According to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), the first three years of investing in 3G will bring an economic push to the tune of Rmb1 trillion.

Some experts in the trade reckon that this process will lift enterprises out of the economic doldrums, provided that there is the presence of a large following of users.

Currently, of the 670 million mobile users in China, 117.6 million are mobile phone netizens, up 133% over 2008. However, in terms of maturity, the mobile Internet still trails far behind the Internet.

Improving mobile phone surfing services and attracting more users are the main issues to be resolved in the course of mobile Internet development. At the same time, more commercial value has got to be created.

Simple operation is the key

As the Internet continues to develop rapidly, the threshold for online connections has been progressively lowered, while web content and applications keep expanding.

However, the mobile Internet can't fully replicate the access methods of the Internet due to the differences between a handset and a computer terminal.

By comparison, the procedures for using mobile phones to connect to the Internet are much more complicated than those for using computers. And such complexity can often deter users.

Under such circumstances, the SMS (short message service) is the most popular mobile phone function used by Chinese consumers and it's become the key to a mobile Internet hookup.

In fact, service providers have long been making use of SMS. TV programmes, newspapers and numerous websites often ask users to "send short messages to 1066*****".

Then in 2008, the China Academy of Telecommunication Research under MIIT launched the 12114 mobile messaging domain name directory service, fully opening the door to mobile Internet.

As 12114 is much easier to remember than the SMS number with the 1066 prefix - coupled with the fact that the number 12114 is unified across the country - it has soon attracted many mobile phone users to use it to access the mobile Internet by sending SMS messages.

In so doing, users no longer need to open a browser and tediously input via mobile phones.

Through the 12114 service, mobile users can easily access the mobile Internet and can also enjoy certain personalised functions.

For example, users can easily find the content they are interested in from the vast array of content on different portals. As a matter of fact, the procedures of using the mobile phone to access the Internet are very complicated and cumbersome as the user has to first visit the website in question, then log on and find the relevant webpage before having interaction.

But by using the 12114 service, the user only has to send the relevant information to 12114 and then get interaction (such as making comments and taking part in forums) without having to access the website concerned with a mobile phone. All these functions are the key to improving the net surfing experience of the mobile user.

According to DNS.com.cn, a mobile Internet service provider, users are no longer satisfied with accessing the Internet with their mobile phone. Rather, they want to find the content they are looking for directly. So, ideally, operating the mobile phone should be as simple as possible.

DNS.com.cn intends to adapt the characteristics of 12114, such as personalisation, interaction and high speed, to provide improved Internet service.

Clustering of enterprises to form 3G business world

To businesses, the mobile Internet represents opportunity. Hooking up to the mobile Internet via the 12114 service to embark on mobile message marketing is the latest promotional mode, which is increasingly gaining popularity with corporate users.

The number of enterprises registered with 12114 is already believed to have broken the 200,000 mark. Registrants not only cover the catering, entertainment and retail sectors, but also traditional media such as TV and newspapers.

Chinese enterprises are now clustering on the mobile Internet to form their 3G business world by using a method with which they are most familiar.

On the Internet, a good domain name is like a good shopping location. It not only makes it easy for users to remember and convenient to visit, but is also a brand in its own right.

The same applies to the mobile Internet. Hence, many enterprises attach great importance to the choice of keywords when they register their mobile messaging domain name, recognising that a good keyword means a good location in the 3G business world. The 12114 service, which has proprietary intellectual property right in China, is indeed an innovative product.

The huge market potential is the reason for drawing many enterprises to jump on the mobile Internet bandwagon.

The shift to mobile handsets will also create immense room for the development of m-business and mobile sales. As 3G continues to advance, a mobile Internet-based 3G business world is gradually taking shape.

from Gao Wen, Beijing Office

(Image courtesy of Xinhua News Agency)