2011 Predictions--Some Serious, Some Far Fetched

This year we at FierceVoIP are going to make some Back to the Future II-style predictions because last year we were too conservative:

• 3D Video Calling on your TV!: Two cool things came out of 2010--3D televisions and home-TV-based Video calls. Why not combine them? What happens when you hook up your new Cisco umi to that new 3D TV? Probably nothing special at the moment, but if Cisco (Nasdaq: CSCO) upgraded the device with the 3D camera, it wouldn't just seem like your friends and family are in the room with you, they'd be popping out of the TV and actually look like they were in the room with you. Ok, sure we need to convince consumers that they even want to make telepresence calls with their TV and that HDTV is so outdated they need to drop another couple grand on a new flatscreen and some silly shutter-glasses. But who knows, people doubted computers would ever be for personal use!
  
• Google VoIP Dominates Everything: Finally, all the rumors and speculators were right! Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) was actually building up a secret army of technology companies to rule the communication space. In Q3 of 2011 they will launch a massive takeover, recharging the WiMAX world by buying Clearwire (Nasdaq: CLWR), deploying it across all 50 states and asking its millions of Android and Gmail users to abandon their carriers in favor of the new WiMAX Google VoIP Mobile Network. They will also ask users to abandon cable companies and instead adopt the HD offerings of Google TV running on the same wireless highspeed data network. Sure, it could happen right?
  
• Presence gets creepy: A phone number that follows you is a key feature of most Unified Communications (UC) offerings today, but what happens when it means we all know where you are at all times. GPS is used to track mobile workers in some ways already, but it could get worse. What if by the end of 2011, location tracking became key feature for efficiency management? No more hiding out at Starbucks for you! You might get a call from your boss: "Get back in here, you've been drinking frappucinos on the company dime for the last hour, oh and bring me back a Venti Caramel Macchiato while you are at it." Or perhaps your call center service could just direct your customers to meet you at Starbucks when you are out! Better be on your game at all times, you never know what your Presence system will send your way.

Ok, I think we've traveled down that road far enough! So what will really happen in 2011? I think people are optomistic after a few years of recession, and I think in our industry we can be optomistic even in spite of continued economic stife. Why? Because we offer solutions to some of the problems.

I'm guessing more companies are going to look at hosted UC because despite today's New Year's stock market jump, the economic issues effecting us haven't changed much since last time I checked. UC provides more effeciency and allows companies to better serve customers. Hosted services means less money spent on technology upgrades and that's something everyone is really looking at. No one wants to spend money they might need elsewhere later on. Loans are tough to get.

Money isn't the only thing in short supply. The video calling and telepresence market will expand in a big way in 2011 as companies look to cut travel expenses in the face of ever increasing fuel costs and exorbitant airline price hikes. Yes, the price of oil will rise and fall, but it will never go back to the good old days. As some economic indicators creep back up, they could push oil back up to 2008 spike levels again--which means pricey travel costs and perhaps another round of economic hardship--so get it while you aren't spending cash on other stuff or get it hosted! Time to look at telepresence meetings as the new way to meet people face-to-face.

On the brightside, every company upgrading their communications is going to look to adopt some kind of UC whether by choice or by default. UC is the new voice, its the new email, the new text message. It's just the way people want to communicate now. Outside the corporate world, I can also see the kids are going to take up Mobile Video Calling in a big way even if the rest of us are still trying to get a handle on our Gmail inbox.

Disclaimer: This article is mainly for entertainment purposes. Please do not use my serious or far fetched predictions as the basis for your investments or other future decision making. These predictions are based on observations on the industry, not research or inside information. Please use your own judgement.