IP Convergence: Beyond VoIP, Beyond Cost Savings

Mesaging is undoubtedly the fasted growing method of e-communication in the industry today, spanning both consumer and enterprise segments.  In the wireless industry alone, the statistics on text messaging volume are staggering.  CTIA's president Steve Largent was quoted as saying that 158 billion text messages were sent in the U.S. alone in 2006, translating to approximately 300,000 per minute, which is almost a 100% growth compared to 2005.  He also notes that consumers can use text messaging to save lives.  Huh?  Well, Amber Alerts is now wireless, so you can receive text message with the Amber Alert information (that is displayed on digital signage) when one occurs, provided you submit your mobile phone number and area zip codes.  BTW, I encourage everyone to sign up for this.  The reason?  We all look at a text message when we receive one, and most of the time we respond to it.  This is a very viral form of communication, and an extremely high margin service; up to 85% in some cases.  Combine this with Instant Messaging, and the transactional volumes far exceed voice by a huge margin.

Aside of the convenience and trendiness aspects of SMS, texting is also very cost effective.  When users are low on their cell phone minutes, they often resort to sending text.  Also, due to excessive roaming costs, sending text messages is a way of avoiding expensive voice roaming and ILD rates from the mobile operators.

Identity-based services are a unique way to bridge communications between the wireless and wireline worlds.  Many innovative service providers are creating offerings which provide a single number (or second line) to the external community, but which allow the subscriber to manage inbound calling to various destinations (mobile, home phone, work phone, etc.).  GrandCentral and TalkPlus are two such providers of this service.  This identity is can be enabled through a VoIP DID-based carrier such as Global Crossing, which provides phone numbers and voice origination and termination capabilities.  Unique solutions like this are rapidly growing in the industry and are likely to continue, bringing voice beyond basic peer to peer dialing.

Another innovative use of identity based services is one where the purpose is to hide the true identity of the called party.  Jangl provides such an application to Match.com which enables dating prospects to communicate with each other without having to know each other's phone number.  Obviously, you don't want to advertise your phone number to what seems to be a decent date but who turns out to be an obsessive nut job.  Again, a powerful use of application-based communication.

Applications such as this can leverage more than just voice.  Text messaging can also be applied just as easy (if not easier) to these identity services, which opens up a powerful enabler and revenue opportunity.  In fact, most users with a mobile phone expect SMS to be a supplementary service, even when using a service such as one of those above.

Text messaging has, and will continue to be a key communication service requirement coupled with voice.  Wireline has some catching up to do, but you can expect some very innovative additions to enable messaging services to continue to be an essential component of the converged services equation.  Expect more from Global Crossing.  Stay tuned.....