ve as a foundation for automating part of the mobile supply chain. Source: Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association (CTIA) Web site; www.wow- com.com The Ultimate Guide to Building and Delivering OSS/BSS 6.1 The Mobile Supply Chain The mobile supply chain does not face the same kind of IIC-to-IIC problems that the landline does. A big part of the reason is that mobile services do not carry a complex infrastructure-provisioning burden. Getting a phone in a user's hand and activating it is something mobile IICs do well. Mobile IICs, however, must continuously improve in getting as close to real- time service delivery as possible. Not only must handsets be activated on demand, but services should become available on demand ideally through a Web interface. Mobile providers also have done a relatively good job of arming retailers with point-of-sale tools. In the past, IICs would capture data from these systems in batch form, thus slowing service delivery. They are now using the Internet to get closer to real-time transactions and service activation. The mobile chain is likely to become more complex as users demand, for example, complex ASP services for mobile devices and higher speed Internet access to more bundled Web applications. Retailers. One characterizing aspect of the mobile market is its inclusion of traditional retail vendors. Although users can purchase mobile devices from their providers, many users purchase devices from retailers, such as electronics stores or vendors specializing in mobile gear. These retailers generally maintain partnerships with, or are agents for, one or more network providers, although users aren't necessarily required to purchase their network services. Regardless, a retailer is often the first contact point for the customer - a factor over which the IIC has little, if any, control. Resellers. Resale takes all forms in the mobile market. The mobile resale market is not particularly orderly, and includes everything from large retail chains and charitable organizations to IICs