A new study from Juniper Research has found that the number of Voice over LTE (VoLTE) connections is anticipated to reach 2 billion by 2020, rising from an estimated 123 million in 2015. According to the research, the marked improvement in voice quality enabled by VoLTE is likely to spur increased adoption of the technology.Quality of Service vs Monetisation
The research, found that direct revenues from VoLTE will be limited at first, with increased availability of compatible handsets driving adoption of the technology. It argued that 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.
Operators, competing on quality of service, are also investing in Wi-Fi calling (VoWi-Fi); aimed at tackling the internal coverage issue. The research found that operators are launching the service to add value for the customers with little investment, where VoLTE is focused on operator network efficiency.
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 providers. It cited the example of Facebook Messenger, which recently launched free HD (High Definition) VoIP call services over cellular and Wi-Fi 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.