The emerging ecosystem for context information and the role of telecom operators

This paper provides the results of a state-of-the-art analysis of emerging context providers, conceptualizes a future ecosystem for context information, and describes the role of telecom operators in such ecosystems. The state-of-the-art analysis of emerging context providers focuses on three types of context providers: location information providers, social network sites, and wireless sensor networks. The results of the analysis are the basis for the conceptualization of a future ecosystem for context information, which is described and illustrated as a value network. The role of a context broker that mediates the relationships between producers and consumers of context information is identified as a missing part in the ecosystem. It is described how telecom operators can take on this role, which is an extension of their current business model.