A Business Model for Mobile Ad-Hoc Communities

Portable devices with Bluetooth interfaces, such as mobile phones and PDAs, are enabled for near field communication (< 30 meter). Existing concepts for Bluetooth communication such as MANets (transfer mobile ad-hoc networks) still rely on stationary client-server architectures for communications purposes. In contrast to this, the approach of an ad-hoc messaging network (AMNet) relies on peer-to-peer store-and-forward principles to pass messages and spread data asynchronously without using hub infrastructures. This technology offers high benefits to its users. Messages and content can be transferred peer-to-peer and cost-free. Furthermore, location based services can be implemented and can be used for applications. Despite these advantages, there is still a lack of adequate business models and applications. For this reason a business concept is presented and discussed which addresses providers of virtual communities as main customers and technology multiplier.