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According to a new study from ABI Research, fixed and mobile network operators will invest more than $450 million in capital infrastructure over the next five years to provide fixed-mobile convergence. This will ameliorate traffic migration to VoIP service providers and lead to implementation of more SIP-based services. ABI Research forecasts that worldwide, operators will generate $97 billion in service revenue from FMC applications in 2011, mainly from offering lower fixed-line call charges to mobile users.

“Operators are seeing their core voice revenues come under pressure from VoIP, and they need to minimize call substitution,” says ABI Research analyst Ian Cox. “One way is to provide services over the broadband fixed network using a mobile device. Both dual use and single use devices will be able to do that over Wi-Fi and micro cellular access points in the home and office.”

Cox further commented that “UMA and SIP with VCC are competing in this market with other approaches, including picocell and femtocell access points, which will lead to a dynamic and competitive market developing over the next five years.”

For users, FMC will reduce call charges when the device is connected to an indoor access point. It will also allow the same device to be used everywhere with a single bill and contact list. “Convenience and lower call charges are an attractive combination,” Cox notes, “but call charges need to be simple to understand, and dual-use devices need to be as appealing as single-use devices in terms of battery life, price and choice of models.”