NBothing more, nothing less.
Eventually this stock will blow up,,,
https://www.specosys.com/topics/smart-products/articles/68803-neustars-diane-strahan-2d-barcode-mobile-services.htm
November 12, 2009
Neustar's Diane Strahan on 2D Barcode Mobile Services
Mary Cronin (News - Alert): How would you compare the potential for 2D barcode implementation to the use of the Common Short Code Administration, which Neustar has been part of developing and supporting since 2003? Do you see 2D barcode marketing campaigns substituting for text message marketing, or co-existing with short codes?
Diane Strahan (pictured left): As more consumers rely on their mobile phones for media and information, I see mobile marketing campaigns increasing across the board. Neustar is enabling the same level of interoperability and ubiquity for mobile barcode services that we now provide for common short codes and both can thrive on that foundation.
Smartphones can access 2D barcodes to display rich media content about specific products and that’s an exciting new opportunity for brands to reach out directly to consumers. The barcode technology uses the mobile camera (already a part of 90 percent of phones), the fact is that picture-taking is now the third most popular activity for mobile consumers, after voice calling and texting. But this new activity isn’t going to displace short code marketing any more than TV displaced radio marketing campaigns. More media and content, not less are being consumed daily. And the youth market is consuming content over multiple media channels at the same time, using their phone, TV and PC internet at the same time.
Short codes have proven to be incredibly flexible in how they can be used to engage consumers, provide links to information, and create loyalty. Companies are using short codes in ways that we never imagined when the Common Short Code Administration service started up. Advertisers who recognize phone as a media channel will continue to make use of short codes and will incorporate the 2D barcodes to provide different types of information and services. Most consumers have unlimited messaging plans and over 97 percent of all mobile devices support messaging, so common short code based mobile marketing is here to stay for quite some time because consumers love to text.
Consumers who subscribe to data plans and are interested in immediate deep rich interactive experiences will enjoy 2Dbarcodes. In fact, many barcode readers are downloaded via a common short code. Both mobile marketing methods support click-to-call, coupons and more. In some cases it will be a matter of consumer preference and in some cases one mobile marketing method will be better than the other depending on the audience, content and experience desired. I expect that we will soon see very innovative 2D barcode campaigns for consumers and for the enterprise.
MC: Do you think that all the ecosystem components are finally in place for 2D barcodes to take off in the United States? If not, what is missing or still in an early stage?
DS: Neustar has been working with the players in the ecosystem from brands to mobile operators to technology companies so we can understand what is required by each in order to support a truly scalable, interoperable and customer centric service. A successful barcode marketplace requires interoperability of barcodes and readers, as well as the infrastructure designed to support marketing campaigns and 2D barcode services. Many of the services accessed by barcodes will be regional, or even local, depending on the company developing the campaign and the mobile operators on which the campaigns are delivered.
We wanted to think globally from the beginning and to offer the option for barcodes to seamless span all geographic areas, whether that is Europe, all of the Americas, or the entire world. So, to directly answer your question, yes, the important components of global barcode access and full interoperability are ready to go.
One piece that was missing until recently was agreement on 2D barcode intellectual property ownership and licensing issues; we worked to overcome that hurdle through our partnership with NeoMedia, who has important patents in this area. This partnership agreement and the demonstration of technical interoperability that Neustar and its global campaign management partners achieved earlier in the year, provides a clear field to move ahead with an open solution that allows all players to join the ecosystem and access the same infrastructure.
From a mobile device perspective, I expect we will see more out-of-the-box handsets that can scan 2D barcodes as mobile device manufacturers will make the embedded scanner a feature and innovate around the 2D capabilities on the phone. Their innovation will continue to improve the barcode readers flexibility and ease-of-use for consumers to use for all sorts of applications.
From a broad systems perspective, we are still early in the adoption stage, with mobile operators innovating to include mobile advertising in their portfolios and determining how they will work with the progressive media campaign managers. Now that the interoperability question is largely resolved and the necessary intellectual property and mobile device platforms are ready for widespread adoption, 2010 is shaping up to be a year of milestones for 2D barcode usage around the world.
MC: Beyond mobile marketing, do you see a role for 2D barcodes in other areas such as connected health, smart automotive, or enterprise services? If so, what kind of applications do you envision?
DS: Absolutely. 2D barcodes can play a role in many industry sectors. With a global registry and clearinghouse in place 2D barcodes will be feasible and valuable in many specific vertical markets and applications. Two areas we are already seeing take up are ticketing and couponing from both consumer and enterprise perspective this initiative is a huge convenience and money saver.
I see the automotive industry as a leading vertical for mobile marketing as well as for smart services. Cars and automotive parts already have barcodes on them that are used in manufacturing and inventory applications. Today these barcodes may require different types of scanners and not be interoperable or available to the car owner. As the automotive sector adopts 2D barcodes, employees and consumers can rely more on standard mobile devices for scanning and can access much more detailed information about parts, specification and inventory. In addition to advertising uses, barcodes will certainly support supply chain applications where specific information is required to solve problems and serve customers.
In fact, tracking parts and replacements with 2D barcodes applies to every complex product. This type of enterprise application will improve customer service and operational efficiency, especially as smart products become more complex and customized.
There is also a role for delivering information in new ways using 2D barcode displays and labels. The health care industry could use barcodes as a vehicle to migrate patient records from a primary care physician to a specialist – just think, no more faxes in the 21st century. This is a much “smarter” “greener” approach.