Mobile VoIP users to approach 300 million by 2013

Mobile
VoIP solutions will be used by 288 million people by the end of 2013, In-Stat has estimated.

According to a new report from the market research firm, well over half of these users will be linked to the online VoIP provider community.

In-Stat also found that under one-third of these will consume VoIP via mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) or mobile operators.

Just over one in ten of those using mobile VoIP are expected to employ it via wireless technologies such as Wi-Max or LTE.

Frank Dickson, an analyst at In-Stat, said: "The near-term opportunity for mobile VoIP is closely linked with the growing success of dual-mode phones and other Wi-Fi connected devices."

"However, mobile VoIP still poses a direct threat to operator voice revenue and operators are navigating how to balance new opportunity with the threat," he added.

Mobile operators are now realising they must work with VoIP providers or create their own IP telephony solutions, according to Informa Telecoms and Media.

The global telecoms and media markets business intelligence provider said that mobile operators are changing their attitude to VoIP due to consumer demand, telecoms industry news website Telecoms.com reported.