Boosting productivity and inspiring innovation through the cloud

An EU-funded project that aims to demonstrate the importance of mobile cloud computing to EU business was presented recently at the Future Network and Mobile Summit in Lisbon, Portugal. Through the launch of a European cloud platform for business apps, the project hopes to put Europe at the cutting edge of this emerging technology.

In particular, MO-BIZZ ('Fostering mobile business through enhanced cloud solutions') seeks to encourage SMEs to deliver innovative business solutions that fully exploit this exciting new technology. It is expected that the three-year project, launched in January this year, will provide invaluable assistance to app developers trying to develop and deploy new products.

MO-BIZZ will also help businesses wishing to access mobile network assets, such as user billing, short-messaging service (SMS) and user location. Larger industries eager to adopt mobility as a way to enhance productivity stand to benefit, too.

Mobile cloud computing has huge business potential. The concept combines mobile computing (using mobile devices such as smart phones), cloud computing (where data is saved in the 'cloud', such as in an email attachment), and wireless networks. Taken together, these three key computing innovations can enhance the capabilities of mobile devices and provide a much richer user experience.

MO-BIZZ believes that by leveraging the resources of various clouds and network technologies, unrestricted functionality, storage, and mobility can be achieved capable of serving mobile devices anywhere at any time.

Over the next three years, MO-BIZZ will develop several pilot projects to showcase the potential of mobile cloud computing as a productivity booster for EU companies. In addition to launching a cloud platform for business apps, the project will build a strategic global approach to the mobile cloud and develop international cooperation in order to create a vibrant community of developers.

Two key user communities stand to be the main beneficiaries. The first group includes app developers and IT providers who want to be able to easily deploy their business apps and access mobile network assets, with minimal effort. This will add value to the services they provide to their customers.

The second group includes companies from key industries interested in understanding how to make the most of mobile cloud applications as productivity boosters. Furthermore, mobility has been identified as a key means of enhancing competitiveness.

The project is being funded by the Commission under the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP) and brings together ten partners from seven Member States.