rds to pay bills. Rather than using traditional payment methods of this type, these consumers are able to use their mobile handset. Machine-to-Machine Communications- between Devices with Embedded Radios Machine-to-machine (M2M) mobile services refer to services that automatically mon- itor the status of other systems or send software updates to devices. An example of an M2M service is a central system that monitors vending machines remotely to deter- mine inventory levels and diagnose possible problems. Another example of M2M traf- fic is automatic monitoring of residential electric meters. Both of these applications require software platforms and radios at customer data centers as well as software and radios in the device to be updated or managed. Soft- ware is required in the vending machines and meters that are able to connect to mobile network. However, these upgrades might require large investments. This is true when new software is added to a utility's meters. There is a potential to save on operational costs by eliminating the need for technicians to manually read the meters. It also has the potential to enable utilities to use energy more efficiently by monitoring the grid and adjusting power distribution accordingly. These transmissions are carried over a mobile carrier's second-generation (2G) or third-generation (3G) networks. Currently, most are transmitted on 2G networks, which are ubiquitous. Moreover, many of the current applications do not transmit enor- mous amounts of data. Newer M2M applications such as video streaming, video secu- rity, in car systems, and other complex applications will require capacity provided by 3G and fourth-generation (4G) cellular protocols. M2M applications represent a revenue opportunity for mobile carriers. One reason why is that there are many more machines than there are end users, and many machines now include software that can be upgraded for over-the-air diagnosis and updates. Automobiles are examples of systems that contain more and more software, including in