How difficult is it to sell the idea of mobile Internet to a not so tech-friendly user?

It is difficult, and there has also been a shift in focus over time. In the earlier days we came from the SMS world, which was very closed and tightly controlled. We remember that the first portals were WAP-guarded, where the operator basically controlled everything. That was very easy selling as a concept because there was a clear revenue model and all of that. Then we started shifting away from that, towards a more open environment where there is more Internet and mobile. Today the consensus seems to be that there is one Internet – fixed or mobile – which is used with different types of devices.

With the growing problem of identity theft on users minds, how can you reassure people that mobile Internet is secure?

The concerns are certainly there, and in many countries there is legislation to deal with it. In mobile, especially [under] the European legislation, the operator is very often liable for those sorts of things. They have to have a degree of control, which of course creates a kind of additional complexity. But when you take care of these things, you have the possibility to create a better experience for the consumers. You can build in the protection that a lot of countries are doing. That includes things such as adult content control and protection of minors. Security and identity are certainly things that need to be looked at. However, I think there is no one-size-fits-all solution. There are different countries, different cultures and different legislation, and you just need to take those into account.

You are talking about mobile Internet at a time when Internet access has progressed slowly in some countries. Is that due to reluctance, or a lack of marketing?

It’s very hard to distinguish between whether it is a reluctance to accept, or whether it has to be sold. If people don’t know [services] are available then it’s hard for them to accept it. In mobile, almost every handset today has a browser in it and people can use the Internet on the mobile if they want to. The question is, do they know it’s there? And that’s a marketing thing. The second thing is that once people know that they have a browser, then what do they do with it? Do they have the services and the content that is interesting enough?

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