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If recent findings by Juniper Research (News - Alert) hold up, mobile network operators could compensate for falling voice revenues by forming partnerships with the VoIP provider community.

Demand for mobile access to Web 2.0 applications and services will see related annual revenues from these services hit $18.9 billion in 2014, a new report from Juniper Research has found:

“Presence-enabled communities, such as mobile voice-over-IP, will be the primary market driver,” Juniper officials said, “followed by rapid growth in the social Web – which encompasses social networking, user-generated content and mobile dating, chat & professional applications.”

“By teaming up with a VoIP carrier, mobile networks could see data use and related revenues rise, as well as attract new customers due to the cost benefits of VoIP,” Juniper found.

Geolocation will also be an important enabler, the research shows, and is forming part of an increasing number of Web 2.0 mobile mash-up service offerings.

“Income from mobile data use has made up for the deficit in returns from voice calls so far, but that trend is not sustainable, according to the telecoms industry analyst firm,” Telappliant reported.

“Although there are significant revenue opportunities for players across the service delivery chain, the size and complexity of the Web 2.0 mobile market should not be underestimated,” Juniper officials said. “There are multiple routes to market, and there is fragmentation at all levels. “

The report’s author, Ian Chard said, “a confluence of Web 2.0 concepts and end-user behavior exploiting both the Web and the mobile phone as delivery platforms is driving mobile Web adoption and shaping industry development.”

The distinction between service provider roles is becoming less clear-cut, Chard added, meaning “some commercial allies are finding themselves increasingly polarized as the market progresses.”

'Maybe the best way to manage this process in the medium-term is to form alliances with a VoIP operator,' Telappliant quoted Anthony Cox (News - Alert), senior analyst at Juniper Research as saying. Adding that, 'Carriers will eventually accept the olive branch that mobile VoIP players have extended, and they may even become the mobile operator's best friends.”