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Report: VoIP, Cost Reduction Driving Fixed-Mobile ConvergenceBy TED GLANZER
TMCnet Communications and Broadband Columnist
The VoIP industry and cost reduction are the two major drivers behind the fixed-mobile convergence (FMC) market, where a consumer has dual-use, home/mobile phone, according to a new ABI Research study.
The report, "Fixed-Mobile Convergence: Comparative Business Plans, Implementation Scenarios and Capital Expenditure," includes "a forecast of the FMC market through 2010, outlines the technologies, explains the benefits for subscribers and analyzes business scenarios that make FMC attractive to operators," according to an ABI Research press release. "The case for FMC rests on the availability of low-cost, dual-use (cellular and WLAN) handsets," said ABI analyst Ian Cox in a prepared statement. "The first models are nearing commercial launch, and their prices should be competitive with conventional mobile handsets early in 2006. That will be the trigger for offering the service."
Two standards will lead the way: UMA for the consumer market and SIP for enterprises according to the release. FMC will most likely catch on oversees first.
"We expect FMC to take off in Europe and Asia than in North America because of the greater prevalence of GSM and 3G services in those regions," said Cox. "However, any operator using a suitable network can gain a competitive edge by early adoption of FMC, and . . . up to a fifth of all broadband subscribers will be taking advantage of FMC's convenience and lower costs by 2010."
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Ted Glanzer is assistant editor for TMCnet. For more articles by Ted Glanzer, please visit:
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