Handsets to Drive Cellular VoIP Over Wi-Fi, Says Study

By Spencer D. Chin

TMCnet Web Editor

 

Global VoIP over Wi-Fi equipment revenues are expected to reach $82 billion by 2012, with dual-mode mobile handsets accounting for $68 billion, according to a study by Juniper Research.

 

The study expects single-mode VoIP over Wi-Fi handsets to see a conservative uptake due to high pricing, accounting for only $1.5 billion by 2012. Enterprise Access Points will generate $5 billion, while enterprise WLAN Switch/Mobility controllers will hit $8 billion.

 

“The dual mode handset market will pick up much faster in the coming years than the single-mode WiFi handset sector,” said Basharat Hamid Ashai, author of the report. “The handset market is moving to a stage where no one wants to carry two or three devices in their pocket, so the ability to have single device for all calls is a compelling proposition. Most single-mode over WiFi (News - Alert) handset manufacturers are actively either designing or planning to ship dual-mode phones.

 

According to the study, another key trend will be the use of wireless mesh technologies for VoIP. Currently, these networks are in their infancy and are being used primarily for data applications.