Services Mobiles

16 mai 2011

Avec BlueVia, Telefonica marque la voie vers une réconciliation entre développeurs et opérateurs

Les opérateurs sont en pleine mutation et doivent s'adapter à un écosystème qui n'a (presque) plus besoin d'eux. Telefonica semble l'avoir compris en lançant BlueVia. Quelques questions posées à son patron, James Parton (@jamesparton) par Olivier Milcent, CMO Momac.

BlueVia (www.bluevia.com) was launched a few months ago. Can you describe what this program is about?

Sure. In simple terms BlueVia is about exposing previously hidden capabilities from with inside our networks. We are exposing these capabilities in the form of API's. Importantly we are using internet technologies to do this, not Telco technologies, making the barrier to entry virtually non existent for any mobile or web developer. You can read more in this introduction to BlueVia presentation:

Is Telefonica a innovator in providing developer API, or do you feel this as a global trend?
Telco's exposing API's is nothing new. Many Operators and aggregators have been doing this for years. The innovation with BlueVia has been how the API's are being exposed and the business model associated with the API's. The BlueVia API's have RESTful interfaces, and use Oauth as their security mechanism – the same as Facebook Connect or Twitter. We are the first Telco in the world to implement this.
The historical business model for working with Telco's or aggregators is the developer has to pay to rent a short code, and buy messages in advance to send to their customers. In other words leaving the developer with all the risk. We tore this model up. We pay developers to use our API's! If a developer generates a transaction across the API like sending a picture message (MMS) then we bill the end customer and then revenue share the revenue from that message back to the developer. 0% risk 100% upside for the developer.

What are the benefits compared to APIs provided by iOS and Android API's?
The primary benefit is our API's generate you revenue. If you are struggling to figure out how you can make money from pay per download or advertising then I would encourage you to get in touch. Also note our API's are cloud based API's, meaning any service or device can call them if they have an HTTP connection. Importantly BlueVia is much broader than mobile apps. You can use our API's (and make money) via websites, PC or Mac desktop apps, connected TV apps, game consoles. Pretty much anything.

Is BlueVia's vocation to remain a Telefonica service, or is this part of a more global partnership with operators?
BlueVia can only be successful by fully collaborating with the wider community. We have already announced a number of partnerships; from membership of WAC, a .NET SDK with Microsoft, through to partnerships with Dot Open, WIP and the Isreali Mobile Association.

Un aperçu du programme sur http://www.slideshare.net/bluevia/bluevia-overview