By Xu Han, Qi Zhiming
According to latest statistics, as of the end of June, the number of China's mobile phone internet users has reached 388 million, and mobile phone has surpassed other terminals to become the most popular device that consumers use to access the internet. Almost imperceptibly, the mobile internet has become one of the IT sectors that have the fastest development, the fiercest competition, and the most dynamic innovations. It has also brought new development opportunities to the global communication industry.
At present, smart terminals and cloud computing applications are accelerating the integration of information technology and communication technology, promoting the high-speed development of the mobile internet. The mobile internet continues to generate new industrial modalities. New industries such as information service, mobile social network, digital publishing, and mobile commerce, begin to grow.
The integration between telecommunication service and internet service deepens gradually. As the number of users increases continuously, the mobile internet is bringing not only new changes to people's life and industrial production, but also profound impact on the economy, society, and culture. In China, open application platforms that are based on the mobile internet are playing an increasingly important role in information construction. More and more people have access to convenient lifestyle and service. As of the end of June, 2012, a total of 321 cities in 30 provinces had launched "Wireless City", with 26.08 million individual users. "Wireless City" is improving every aspect of people's life in an imperceptible way.
Now we are in the second decade of the 21st century, cloud computing and other new technologies have profoundly changed the infrastructure, platform architecture, and cooperation model of the internet. Besides, the wireless connection advantage of telecommunication operators will be challenged by more and more new technologies. For operators, the development of the mobile internet is as much an opportunity as it is a challenge. How to manage data traffic operation, cope with updating of internet business, and maintain the value of the communication industry? This is a common problem faced by all operators worldwide.
Huang Xiaoqing, director of China Mobile Group Research Institute, believes that currently the meaningful interaction and integration of the industrial chain is essential to the sustainable development of the mobile internet. The mobile internet has transcended conventional internet websites, playing a very important role in the information construction system in society. In the era of the mobile internet, cloud service supply technology supports and telecommunication operators supply the network infrastructure. China Mobile will construct cloud computing as the infrastructure of new-type core network.
It has been proved that the integration of terminals and the internet industry is an indisputable fact. Apple, Google, and Microsoft are not only the leaders in terminals operation systems, but also leaders on the mobile internet. The purpose of the updating of operation systems is to continuously optimize mobile internet experience and provide more value-added mobile internet services. The mobile internet industry shows three conspicuous features: demand-driven, technology integration, and industrial restructuring. Terminals have become the handle for operators' operation. From the perspective of the overall development trend of the terminal industry, growth of the market as a whole has slowed down, and competition for customer base is intensifying; 3G is replacing 2G at a faster pace; product life cycle has shortened; and growth of smartphone is becoming faster as the function mobile phone market shrinks.
Apparently, in face of the thriving of the mobile information market, it's imperative to accelerate the cultivation of the information service consumption sector and promote the scientific and healthy development of the economy. Take accelerating new-generation information technology and other strategic emerging industries as a goal, continue to tap new demands, and promote more and better innovative mobile internet products. Vigorously develop cloud computing, the internet of things, remote education, mobile healthcare, wireless cities, and other social public information services, cultivate and establish new consumption hot spots, and promote the mobile internet industry to become a new growth point that boosts the development of economy and society.
In the meantime of strengthening quality advantages of industrial participants and appealing the government to give support to human resources, capital, and other aspects of the mobile internet industry, we should also give full play to operators' advantages in network resources, business capability, and user volume, normalize cooperation in enhancing online information security and cultivate a civilized and rational online environment, and promote the mobile internet to become a new platform that improves information exchange and promotes information culture.
Experts point out that currently the main bottlenecks to the development of the mobile internet include: first, the new-generation connection technology of the mobile communication network -- the primary thing to do to get rid of this bottleneck is to call for the soonest commercialization of 4G-standard LTE; and second, more high-quality radio frequencies should be released for use in mobile communication as soon as possible, so that WIFI technology, sensing radio technology, and other next-generation frequencies resources can be shared.
The mobile internet is a new type of information infrastructure. Besides entertainment service, other production and life value of the mobile internet should also be explored extensively. As the world's largest telecommunication operator, China Mobile published the new strategy of "constructing smart channel, establishing open platform, building characteristic business, and displaying user-friendly interface" in the 2012 International Seminar on Mobile Internet. This new strategy will usher in a new industrial era that is represented by mobile internet applications.
