In-Stat has released a report that is very bullish on the future revenue potential of mobile VoIP applications, predicting the annual revenues for the market will increase to $32.2 billion by 2013. The report, "Mobile VoIP - Transforming the Future of Wireless Voice," also predicts 278 million registered users of mobile VoIP applications by 2013.
If In-Stat's revenue estimate is to hold, however, these applications would not only have to meet the user base prediction but generate monthly ARPU of $9.65, not an easy feat with voice becoming increasingly commoditized.
"Applications such as Skype and Vonage have influenced users to think of voice as a data application," says Frank Dickson, In-Stat analyst, in a release. "The increasing penetration of Wi-Fi in mobile devices was the beach head that Mobile VoIP applications needed. As user habits are being shaped by rich on-line communication experiences, mobile carriers control over devices and data applications is waning. Mobile carrier attempts to slow the spread of on-line Mobile VoIP are proving challenging as well."
The report predicts that Asia will overtake EMEA as the regional leader in mobile VoIP revenues by 2013.
For more:
- see the press release on Reuters here [1]
Related articles
Mobile VoIP can you hear me now? [2]
Can pure-play mobile VoIP succeed? [3]
Links:
[1] http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS136871+15-Sep-2009+BW20090915
[2] http://www.fiercevoip.com/story/mobile-voip-can-you-hear-me-now/2009-08-20
[3] http://www.fiercevoip.com/story/can-pure-play-mobile-voip-succeed/2009-05-28