A mobile video service trial: TOEST
| Published date | 06 March 2009 |
| Pages | 134-150 |
| Date | 06 March 2009 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/07378830910942982 |
| Author | Sungwon Kim |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management,Library & information science |
OTHER ARTICLE
A mobile video service trial:
TOEST
Sungwon Kim
KT, Seongnam, South Korea
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to introduce Commercial Mobile Video Service Trial
(TOEST) of Korea Telecom (KT), relaying experience related to the implementation of mobile video
service for portable devices to libraries and information management organizations that are interested
in this service.
Design/methodology/approach – Research data used were collected from internal materials such
as unpublished project reports, RFI, RFP, etc. written throughout the process of implementing projects.
The information also draws on the author’s experience and involvement in TOEST trial between 2005
and 2007.
Findings – From the technical perspective, it was confirmed that technical advancements and
environments that enable the implementation of mobile video service for portable devices have been
fully established. The technical areas that need to be further improved are the advancements of battery
capacity, low-power consumption technology, and functional improvement of the I/O slot in portable
devices.
Research limitations/implications – TOEST provides only download type service for portable
devices such as PDAs and PMPs. Streaming type service for mobile phones has been performed only
for the purpose of internal tests.
Practical implications – For information management organizations and libraries, mobile video
service for portable devices is cutting-edge technical service that can provide new customer value to
users. Also, it is possible to apply profit models from the commercial point of view.
Originality/value – The paper introduces various technical and environmental elements as
specifically as possible, including practical things that we have experienced during the course of
implementing mobile video service systems for portable devices. Experience in TOEST development
would be helpful to information management organizations and libraries planning to provide mobile
video service for portable devices.
Keywords Video equipment,Mobile communication systems,Korea
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
As the transfer speed of the internet becomes more rapid and types of information
sources are diversified, an increasing number of libraries and information management
organizations are developing interest distribution of mobile video, a new information
resource. This paper aims to introduce TOEST, a commercial mobile video service trial
of KT (Korean Telecom Ltd.). I hope that by putting up for consideration the various
practical components that we have developed during the preparation of real service,
experience in TOEST development will be helpful to libraries and information
management organizations planning to provide new service including mobile video
service.
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
www.emeraldinsight.com/0737-8831.htm
LHT
27,1
134
Received 27 March 2008
Revised 1 July 2008
Accepted 24 August 2008
Library Hi Tech
Vol. 27 No. 1, 2009
pp. 134-150
qEmerald Group Publishing Limited
0737-8831
DOI 10.1108/07378830910942982
I would like to discuss the significance of the cutting edge topic, “mobile video
service for portable devices” featured in this paper, on the library circle. The changes in
paradigm according to the application of IT (Information Technology) to library works
and services have been researched by many (Buckland, 1992; Lynch, 1993). In this
paper, the paradigm changes in library are classified into a few phases as follows. The
initial phase of IT application to library work can be called Automated Library Phase,
where the computer is applied to tasks like acquisition, cataloging, etc., for the purpose
of making the back office work more efficient. The next phase is the Electronic Library
Phase in which secondary information such as bibliographic information and a few
original text data are provided to users through a network, utilizing computerized
bibliographic data. The third phase is the Digital Library Phase. In this phase, SDI
service combined with IT technology is provided for optimal work effectiveness. Also,
digitized original text service is provided online as well at this phase. The last phase
and the most developed phase is called the Virtual Library Phase in which rich content
including multi-media content is provided online.
In the mean time, if a user can use certain services, which has been accessible only
through wire-networks so far, through a wireless network in the future, and if users
can use the service without any restriction in time and space, it will have entered a
more advanced phase called the “Wireless” Virtual Library Phase. The mobile video
service to be discussed in this paper can be defined as another dimension of
development in terms of the evolution of the library paradigm.
As an example of this effort, about 70 university libraries in Korea formed a “mobile
campus consortium” and developed the Wireless Digital Library (WDL) Project (Kim,
2008). The project, started in 2004, provides OPAC to each university library and
digitized original texts to mobile terminals of users through mobile networks and the
WiFi network installed in campuses. The leader group of this project had planned the
E-Learning service in which mobile videos of popular lectures of participating
universities are provided to portable handsets (PDA, mobile phones). Currently it is not
available to mobile networks due to technical restrictions, but will be before long (Cho,
2008).
The TOEST service introduced in this paper is related to two new advancements;
one is in terms of a network that guarantees mobility by utilizing mobile networks, not
by using only a fixed internet, and the other is in terms of content, where massive
quantity mobile video content can be provided. This paper aims to introduce TOEST,
which was attempted by KT, as a reference for libraries for their future trials to
introduce such new services. Although this paper focuses on the TOEST trial itself
from the macro viewpoint as I have mentioned above, it will be helpful in
understanding of various elements such as content, network, platform, and terminal
that librarians should know for mobile video services.
Literature review
There are some research works which discussed the benefits and new value of
providing library service through a wireless network that removes the restriction of
time and space. Previous studies in the library and information science field regarding
mobile service or mobile video service are reviewed by the type of target environment;
which are medical library, university library, public library and com mercial
applications. Many works related to wireless information service are found in
A mobile video
service
135
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