A Part of the PointAbout What Is OTA? Blog Series

As we mentioned in a recent blog post, 325.6 million Smartphones were sold in Q2 2010, accounting for 19% of worldwide mobile device sales. This means millions of devices will be sending and receiving messages, whether text, picture, video or voice, playing audio and videos, storing sensitive information, installing applications, and becoming incorporated into businesses and corporations.

All of these functions are enabled by the mobile device’s firmware, which contains the device’s programs and data structure. Everything in the electronic and computing world is controlled by firmware; our beloved Smartphones, iPhones, iPods, iPads, laptops, and tablet PCs. As initial application versions/software become outdated, “buggy,” and lethargic, new applications become available and more advanced, producing a need to distribute new update packages and software to “rev up” those devices. One of the most convenient and important ways to accomplish that is OTA configuration, also known as over-the-air-programming. This post will give an overview of OTA or over-the-air-programming.

OTA Description

To help put over-the-air programming in perspective, think back to your childhood days. Remember remote control cars??  When they first came to market, the remote control was attached to the car itself, forcing you to run behind the car. Fun, but not as much fun as when the controllers became wireless. You were free to be wherever you wanted and still control your car. Ok, switching back to OTA. In the past, companies had to tether or directly connect mobile devices to a computer to install or update the software on it.  How time consuming do you think that was?

Suppose your company was supplying each staff member with a Blackberry Smartphone, which needed to be configured or updated with new software. Depending on the number to be deployed, it could be hours into days and weeks before this task could be completed. With the use of over-the-air programming, all of the Blackberrys can be updated at once, wirelessly, saving time, money, and man-hours. Another example for you. Imagine a security breach took place.  The sensitive data on your companies’ mobile devices has been hacked. Before anymore were compromised, they all need to be completely wiped clean. Again, it would take too much time to wipe the devices one-by-one….OTA comes to the rescue.

To bring this all together…..

Over-the-air programming (OTA) is a scheme enabling the distribution of updates, software, and services to mobile devices over a wireless network in real-time, involving various requirements, processes, and phases. Used together, SMS (text messaging) and OTA offer remote control of mobile devices for upgrades and activation of subscriptions and services, security, along with the programming and customization of new services.

OTA in Action

In order for updates to take place, the existing hardware and software of the intended device must be capable of receiving and installing, basically support the new software from a wireless network provider. The current method of OTA entails a carrier sending a text message (SMS) to subscribers with an action to receive the update or to call a particular number. For instance, *228 is a Verizon Wireless OTA service code, which gives subscribers the option to program and activate a new device or update roaming capabilities.

Not only is this quick and easy for the mobile user, it also reduces time and costs spend on customer support. Additionally, OTA permits mobile phone carriers to keep subscribers “in-the-know” about pertinent upgrades, services, and improvements.

Come back for the next post on OTA.