Mobile broadband providers 'must be open'

Mobile broadband applications need to become more open and able to communicate with multiple devices, an industry expert has suggested.

Speaking at the Mobile World Congress, chief executive of AT&T Randall Stephen said the technology has now become a "ubiquitous, integral part of business and society", V3.co.uk reports.

Mr Stephen went on to state that the rise in availability and popularity of 4G mobile broadband network capability means operators must be ready to open up to allow cross-device communication.

"Open interoperable systems are vital, as mobile broadband and cloud computing capabilities will drive the next wave of growth in mobile broadband," he stated.

The industry boss added that the Amazon Kindle was a good example of how individual offerings should be developed in the future, as it can be used through multiple devices.

Steven Hartley, principal analyst at business and technology analysis firm Ovum, recently remarked that mobile network providers could get left behind in the telecoms market if they do not embrace VoIP.