'Convergence to revolutionise telecom'

Fixed-mobile convergence (FMC) will play a crucial role in the telecommunication sector. The convergence, achieved through a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth link to a fixed-line Internet connection, will allow a VoIP call to be made from anywhere. This will make local and long distance calls even cheaper than what they are today.

FMC requires a combination of short-range radio connectivity and mobile connectivity. It is the way to connect the mobile phone to the fixed line infrastructure. With the convergence between the mobile and fixed line networks, telecommunications operators can provide services to users irrespective of their location, access technology and terminal.

Says Jeffery Torrance, VP of FMC Solutions of CSR, "The development of mobile multimedia terminals demands broadband wireless access, converged with the ubiquity of a cellular system. A low power, cost-effective Wi-Fi solution is key to making this happen."

He was addressing a session on the future of mobile technology in Bangalore on Tuesday. CSR is a global provider of short-range radio connectivity solutions including Bluetooth and Wi-Fi and has its headquarters in Cambridge, UK.

Wi-Fi is a set of product compatibility standards for wireless in local area network. Bluetooth is an industrial specification for wireless personal area networks which connect devices like PDAs, mobile phones and laptops and PCs via a secure, low-cost, globally available short range radio frequency.

Torrance said that presently about 34 per cent of cell phones have Bluetooth technology and over the coming years a similar attach rate for Wi-Fi might be achieved. He said that India was soon going to follow the global trend and emerge as an important player in the FMC segment.

According to Mickey Nasiri, general manager, CSR India, cheaper calls, unified fixed and mobile service with one phone, one number and one bill is what makes FMC not only attractive but also reliable. This provides a wider and more efficient coverage. "Enterprise customers can enjoy significant cost savings because of the ability to shift a major portion of mobile traffic onto their fixed costs IP Network," he pointed out.

There are FMC networks springing up across the world and a lot of service providers have announced FMC packages. "FMC appeals to operators because users want to do one-stop shopping and it provides a range of fixed and mobile services bundled into one," he said. There have been partnerships and mergers between fixed and mobile operators in the competitive quest for FMC, he added.

Jin-Sung Choi, senior VP and head of the LG Electronics Mobile Communication Technology Research Lab says, "FMC is the strategic technology that's in progress in the telecom sector. Like Bluetooth penetration, if the Wi-Fi handset penetration also follows, we could see hundreds of millions of phones a year supporting FMC in the future, giving a huge opportunity for handset manufacturers like us."