Subscribers to Mobile VoIP Expected to Triple to 29 Million Users: Report
January 05, 2012
By Erin Harrison
Executive Editor, Cloud Computing
As smartphone penetration deepens globally, mobile voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) solutions are becoming increasingly popular – with new findings that reveal mobile VoIP will continue to be on the rise in 2012.
According to research firm In-Stat (News - Alert), subscribers to mobile VoIP services will triple – active mobile VoIP subscriber rates will triple in 2011, growing from 9 million in 2010 to 29 million.
The key factor behind such a surge in demand for the technology is smartphone penetration, with numerous providers now offering services that give consumers access to mobile VoIP on some level.
“While VoIP is a well-defined market, mobile VoIP is still in its infancy, with most offerings only being developed over the past several years - and because it's in its nascent stage, there are significant opportunities for companies to develop the market,” explained Amy Cravens, senior analyst at In-Stat.
Cravens also said that there are a number of uncertainties that solutions providers must overcome, however this is typical of a new and booming market.
“As the addressable market increases with smartphone penetration a greater number of providers are introducing services, including a growing handful of mobile operators that are beginning to embrace, to some degree, mobile VoIP,” In-Stat said in a company statement.
Other key findings of the mobile VoIP research include the following:
- The primary distribution channel utilized by respondents to access mobile VoIP offerings is through the OS application store.
- The largest concentration of mobile VoIP users is in Western Europe.
- Revenues associated with mobile VoIP usage will increase to over $4 billion in 2015.
- LTE (News - Alert) operators are not likely to have a significant impact on the mobile VoIP market until 2013.
Erin Harrison is Executive Editor, Strategic Initiatives, for TMC, where she oversees the company's strategic editorial initiatives, including the launch of several new print and online initiatives. She plays an active role in the print publications and TMCnet, covering IP communications, information technology and other related topics. To read more of Erin's articles, please visit her columnist page.Edited by Juliana Kenny