VoIP and Its Increasing Impact on Mobile Networks

A report released by Frost and Sullivan in mid 2010 analyzed the impact of mobile VoIP on next generation cellular networks, with a special emphasis on the growing market in Europe. The mobile and wireless industry has incredible growth expectations as this technology becomes more available, whether through WiFi or more sophisticated 3G and 4G networks.

The question remains - will mobile VoIP actually reflect the savings which residential and business VoIP customers have come to expect, or will mobile carriers continue to block access to technology that many thought would result in an almost free wireless solution?

The adoption of VoIP for mobile by several telecommunication leaders has encouraged the development of higher quality audio, greater availability of faster data connections, and increased shipments of smart phones both domestically and abroad. Flat rate mobile pricing, however, continues to fluctuate wildly and each mobile start-up has its own set of restrictions and packaging deals designed to get the most out of each customer.

'Bare bones' packages are becoming almost non-existent, with former 'cost savings' bundle deals evolving into a way for telecom giants to keep revenues coming in as VoIP becomes a credible threat to the traditional voice income sources.

IP is expected to become the principal transport for future data access technologies, and traditional carriers are being forced to acknowledge the fact that mobile VoIP will be a key player in both integrated IP-based communications as well as next generation wireless processes.

While smartphone vendors are starting to include applications in their stores so users can download and use third-party VoIP clients over WiFi and cellular broadband networks, many cellular operators continue to prohibit the use of mobile VoIP over their cellular networks, or impose hefty surcharges.

The primary argument mobile operators use to combat the cost effective lure of VoIP is the claim that VoIP used over the cellular networks cannot provide quality, efficiency and reliability comparable to that supplied by the GSM network. 60 to 70 per cent of European mobile operators prohibit or restrict the usage of VoIP on their mobile broadband data plans, and the US is not much better.

However, with high definition voice becoming standard on smartphones, the argument that mobile IP communications is simply not up to standard will cease to hold water. Mobile VoIP is here to stay, although mobile carriers can be expected to continue to try and block access where possible.

Saiju is a VoIP and business software expert specializing in business phone service and hosted SIP provider solutions.