| Telecommunication is undergoing an historic sea | | | | point, however, it offers a good overview of the FMS |
| change. Even though that change is driven by the | | | | and FMC. |
| consumer side of the industry, it is so basic and | | | | The report starts by showing how the phenomenon is |
| fundamental that its impact will transform the business | | | | growing: by 2010, it says, almost 80 percent of adults |
| segment as well. | | | | around the world will own a mobile device. The mobile |
| The change - that people are giving up their landlines - | | | | network usage increase that will accompany the |
| is starkly illustrated in two studies featured in a recent | | | | proliferation of devices will cut drastically into |
| Wi-Fi Planet piece. The first is a Yankee Group report | | | | lower-cost wireline connectivity. The writer then says |
| that says about 40 percent of mobile calling is made | | | | that 40 percent to 80 percent of wireless usage |
| from home. The complementary and perhaps even | | | | occurs when the person is in the home or workplace. |
| more stunning finding in a report from Harris Interactive | | | | This is inefficient, since cellular networking is |
| is that only 58 percent of adults in the U.S. subscribe to | | | | comparatively expensive. Siemens sees FMC as a |
| wireline services, while 74 percent have wireless | | | | way to cut costs as FMS grows. |
| phones. | | | | This transition is further along outside the United States. |
| This transition - called by some fixed-mobile substitution | | | | Late last month, Seeker Wireless said that its |
| (FMS) - may not seem like a big deal to anyone under | | | | SeekerZone technology is being used for virtual |
| 30 or so, but it is striking to those who grew up in the | | | | fixed-line service provisioning in Eastern Europe. |
| wireline age. The transition from wired to wireless | | | | SeekerZone, the story says, encourages FMS by |
| clearly means that a lot of money will be redistributed | | | | offering special pricing plans based on the user's |
| during the next decade, and that there will be a new | | | | location. The release says that the approach is |
| set of winners and losers. The story points to some of | | | | efficient because it is based on subscriber identity |
| the early moves in the game, such as T-Mobile's | | | | module (SIM) cards instead of Cell-ID technologies. This, |
| HotSpot @Home and Sprint Nextel's Airave. | | | | the company maintains, enables 99.5 percent in-zone |
| Mobilised reports on a study from Insight Research | | | | reliability. |
| that verifies demand for fixed to mobile convergence | | | | Fixed mobile convergence is a broad area, and this |
| (FMC) is on the consumer side, while enterprises | | | | posting at the Alan Quayle WebLog is helpful in setting |
| remain reticent. During the next five years, Insight | | | | a landscape. There are three forms of FMC, he says. |
| predicts, FMC will generate $35 billion worldwide. The | | | | The first is a "handset-centric" approach that mainly |
| piece quotes Insight president Robert Rosenberg as | | | | relies upon the cellular network. Other approaches - |
| saying that the U.S. is trailing Europe and Asia in FMC | | | | Wi-Fi, Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications |
| development. The study also states the obvious: As | | | | (DECT) or Bluetooth - handle the most challenging |
| consumers move more fully to wireless, revenues for | | | | in-premise connectivity. The second approach uses |
| fixed long distance and local providers will decline. This | | | | virtual private networks (VPNs) to exert control, the |
| will put a lot of money in play, and the savviest players | | | | post says. Desktop phones and mobile devices also |
| will thrive. | | | | are used. The third, the substitution approach, |
| This piece from Siemens Enterprise Communications | | | | exchanges big chunks of the wireline network with |
| posted at The Lippis Report site ends with a product | | | | their wireless equivalents. |
| pitch for HiPath MobileConnect. Before it reaches that | | | | |