Sachendra Y
Interaction Designer / Product Manager / Mobilist / Social Media Enthusiast
Will Microsoft's VoIP offering on mobile phone change the game for mobile operators?
Microsoft announced in 3GSM VoIP service for mobile phones running Office Communicator for Windows Mobile. The service allows users to make free VoIP phone calls from their mobile phones or other portable devices over WiFi Internet connections.
How does this affect the mobile operators?
Good Answers (2)
John ジョン S. R
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Good day Sachendra,
Given that Voice ARPU continues to fall, and, mobile carriers are shifting their focus to increasing Data ARPU (via TV, Video, data applications, etc.) coupled with Windows Mobile market share being passed by iPhone (in Q3 of 2007) it seems like another push in the 'race to the bottom' by Microsoft.
Interesting enough, Steve Ballmer stated the following in early 2007, “There’s no chance that the iPhone is going to get any significant market share. No chance.” Perhaps had he qualified that as being in the Enterprise space he wouldn’t have been so far off; however, in the Consumer space his quote is embarrassing at best.
Speaking of the iPhone – if Apple is going to capitalize and expand its momentum and really compete with Windows Mobile and BlackBerry in 2008, it’s going to need to add push e-mail and 3G connectivity. Towards that end, Apple’s pending iPhone SDK release could be the next step towards addressing that issue (amongst others).
Regards,
John S. Rajeski
Links:
I have also been doing this for some time over 1 year with my nokia, but the main issue really still is handover/roaming between the two technologies ie. from wireless VoIP to normal GSM. Products like Fring have also brought some interesting new "VOIP" options allowing users to call using WiFi on their phone or using 3G/edge data on the phone.
Whilst a lot of the options allow me to bypass my mobile operator and make Wireless VOIP calls for "free" often when you are traveling in new places connection qualities vary so much and calls are not reliable, and without the option to automatically handover to GSM I normally skip the VoIP when traveling.
How all these options affect mobile operators we will see but they defiantly are investing highly on data.
More Answers (1)
50% of new wireless revenue comes from data. Wireless carriers are banking that new compelling data applications will drive new data subscriptions.
