For around one-third of the world’s population, the mobile handset has become an essential adjunct to their lives. Priceless at some times – and a nuisance at others – mobile handsets have also, for many, become a defining asset showing their lifestyle and their worth, especially amongst the youth markets and developing countries.
 

The consolidation of multiple rating and charging systems into a single converged billing platform is being driven by the desire from operators to reduce operational and maintenance costs, the need to retain competitive edge in a cut-throat market, and the need to meet customer demand for the real-time charging of a growing range of content-based services. However, fixed and wireless operators are realizing that converged billing can also provide the platform for revenue management up and down the value chain of content providers, as well as coherent customer care across regardless if channel.
 

Not so long ago, the mobile game was the darling of the cellular industry. Gaming was going to provide the 'must-have' content that would help drive up ARPU for the mobile operators.  A harsher reality has now settled in, however.  Other forms of content – especially TV and video clips – are presently seen as better prospective revenue generators. In response, mobile games themselves are being much more closely tailored to their true potential audience – which isn't just youngsters.
 

In the context of mobile content (and fixed line content for that matter too), discussions about digital rights management (DRM) tend to sharply polarise people. On the one hand are those who view DRM as a must-have if the content industry is to take-off and achieve any thing like its full potential. On the other are those who cast DRM as an infringement of the rights of the consumer, and possibly the thin end of the wedge that is an attack on civil liberty currently being progressed by big business and officialdom.  

NFC (Near Field Communications) can learn from the mistakes made with Bluetooth and may even surpass it. Presently NFC's primary application is for ticketing where it competes against mobile bar codes. Its ability to utilise existing infrastructure and RFID tags is a major advantage. As a payment method, however, it lacks standardisation.