This femtozone service demo shows how “virtual fridge notes” can be sent to friends via a Facebook application. The fridge notes are delivered via SMS the moment the recipient’s phone arrives at home and camps onto the femtocell.
This is a “classic” femtozone service example, but I believe this is the first time it has been shown actually working. Visitors to ip.access’ Mobile World Congress stand in Barcelona next week will be able to see the live demo (and leave fridge notes for Marcin).
The Femto Forum has an initiative which aims to help application developers build femtozone services. The first step is to understand the enabling technologies application developers need, so we are inviting application developers to a Femtocell Applications Plenary, taking place at the FemtoZone on Thursday 19th Feb at 10:45.
Filed under: Demos | Tagged: Femtocell, femtocells, ip.access, virtual fridge notes
Nice demo!!
Question: What is the mechanism for the Femto controller to update the subscriber’s status (presence, location)?
If this were a standardized presence update, then the Femto could support many services. As a demo, it might use a hard-coded update specifically to the Facebook app. Similarly, how is this service provisioned into the Mobile Network Operator’s system – in a live system would it be able to be generally provisioned from the Facebook app to a given MNO (is this connection standardized)? It seems that this kind of status update could be useful as a basis for Femto apps, but the application developers would need a standard mechanism to listen for and receive status updates.
P.S. Don’t forget to feed Paul’s goldfish!
Robert,
Thanks for your comment. You’ve asked some very interesting questions.
On the technical side – “FemtoController” or as we call it “Access Controller” is notifying application server that particular UE changed location.
Application server is then using webservice ( in demo example it’s using facebook api to update status but as you said it could be any application that needs to be location aware)
In our scenario Appliacation server also takes care of saving and sending sms’es when user arrives home. We are using Facebook just to provide familiar user interface to it.
I agree with you that standard API is needed to get wider adoption. My personal preference is Yahoo’s fireeagle http://fireeagle.yahoo.net/ which put’s user in control on who/what can see/update presence information.
From MNO perspective this service would most likely be integrated into your web based account management where you would pick which services to notify about your location change – for example your fireeagle or facebook accounts.
Hope that answers your questions
regards
m
The Femto Forum also has an initiative to encourage the development of standards for femto services. The aim is to enable application developers to create apps that work with any operator’s femtocell.
[...] video showing the Facebook Virtual Fridge Notes demonstration can be found at: http://3ginthehome.wordpress.com/…. ip.access will also be demonstrating the new iPhone application throughout the Femtocells World [...]
[...] [...]
Andy,
that’s a cool application. As you have mentioned, updating the status in http://fireeagle.yahoo.net would be great idea.
On the similar lines, would it be nice to send SMS to customers when they enter a shopping mall ( retail outlet ) on the deals that are there in the store. In this case, it would be a Picocell that notifies application server that particular UE changed location. Is this technically possible? In other words, does Picocell also support UE change notification like Femtocell?
Thanks!
Yes, absolutely – great idea. Would work in offices as well – just imagine arriving at work and receiving the CEO’s motivational message of the day on your phone as you walk through the door
Andy,
Thanks for your response.
Does Picocell or Femtocell provide developer interfaces ( SDK, API interfaces ) that will allow third party developers to develop and integrate their applications? Suppose, I want to develop an application that will update my status in http://fireeagle.yahoo.net will I be able to develop the applications using an interface without modifying the Picocell/Femtocell’s internal software?
Definitely – that’s the whole idea of the Femto Forum Services SIG. Application developers should be able to build apps that work with any femtocell on any network using common APIs. It’s not the case today, but it’s the industry’s goal.
[...] big fanfare about exciting and innovative services as yet though. Like the Facebook virtual fridge note (that one was for you again, [...]
Great! – What about Picocell? does ip.access provide such APIs for picocells that an application developer can use?
We don’t currently have an open API for our picocells. It’s something to consider, though.
Thanks Andy!