Active VoLTE connections to pass 2bil by 2020: Juniper

• Mobile operator rollouts to intensify, fuelled by fierce competition
• Failure to deliver a high-quality offering will result in churn

THE number of VoLTE (Voice over Long-Term Evolution) connections is anticipated to reach two billion by 2020, rising from an estimated 123 million in 2015, according to a new study from Juniper Research.

 
The marked improvement in voice quality enabled by VoLTE is likely to spur increased adoption of the technology, the research firm said in a statement.

The research found that direct revenues from VoLTE will be limited at first, with increased availability of compatible handsets driving adoption of the technology.
 
Network operators will initially focus on experience and quality of service, rather than monetisation, with failure to deliver a high-quality offering at the outset potentially resulting in churn to rival operators, Juniper Research said.

Operators, competing on quality of service, are also investing in WiFi calling (VoWiFi), aimed at tackling the internal coverage issue.
 
The research found that operators are launching the service to add value for their customers with little investment, where VoLTE is focused on operator network efficiency.

HD voice to grow

The new research, Future Voice Strategies: mVoIP, Carrier OTT, WebRTC, HD Voice & Video Calling 2015-2020, also claimed that to remain competitive, operators will also need to ensure that their communications offerings match those of leading OTT (over the top) providers.
 
It cited the example of Facebook Messenger, which recently launched free HD (High Definition) VoIP (Voice-over-Internet Protocol) call services over cellular and WiFi networks.
 
With this in mind, it argued that an operator HD voice service proposition would be a critical element.

HD voice adoption has been steadily rising since 2009, with over 130 operators worldwide offering mobile HD voice.
 
Juniper Research expects the number of capable devices to grow to over 1.3 billion by 2020, driven by manufacturer adoption and operator capability.

Other key findings include:
 

• The Far East (including China) will account for over 50% of global VoLTE connections by 2020; 
• By 2020, VoLTE services will account for over US$100 billion in annual service revenue.The complimentary whitepaper, Monetising OTT Voice, is now available from download from the Juniper website, together with further details of the full research.

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