With fixed line broadband speeds increasing all the time, consumer expectations regarding response times for actions such as file downloads and web page access are increasing. 3G technology is an essential step for mobile providers to stay competitive and meet ever more demanding user expectations.

Critical success factors for real-time customer management and billing in the mobile future include:

• Ensure accurate, traceable, auditable billing and financial management of any service as the adoption of mobile Internet services reaches critical mass and data services become an ever greater component of mobile operator revenues
  
• Maintain profitability while proliferating content services that represent concrete costs to the operator: real-time controls limiting access to those services to customers who have paid or are able to pay is critical
  
• Real-time rating, authorization and balance management are a must to give the operator a clear, up-to-date picture of revenues and the customer an immediate, accurate view of spending
  
• Control your exposure and provide valued bundles: mobile operators will have an increasing need for content partners and will have to be sure those partners are well managed and accurately compensated for sales of their content