According to Strategy Analytics, the strong evolution of cellular-only markets will dramatically slow the global adoption of fixed-mobile convergence (FMC). By 2010 there will be 500 million cellular-only users generating three times the voice revenues of their FMC counterparts. With major carriers such as BT, Korea Telecom and BellSouth deploying FMC services, convergence is back on the agenda and the specter of WiFi or Bluetooth destabilizing in-building cellular revenue flows again looms large. However, handset prices and availability will represent the biggest barrier to FMC adoption. "The 'voice goes mobile' mantra of the cellular industry is now a reality rather than a mission statement." comments David Kerr, Vice President, Strategy Analytics' Global Wireless Practice. "Cellular already accounts for 60 percent of the world's access lines, one third of all voice minutes and one half of all voice revenues, with 10 percent of homes relying on only a mobile phone for voice. FMC providers will have to work hard to turn this tide as players like Vodafone and O2 fine tune their wireless-only solutions."
Alternative Payment Methods (APMs) – comprising digital wallets, instant payments, and QR payment systems – are experiencing explosive growth that's reshaping the global financial services marketplace. According to the latest worldwide market study by ABI Research , the combined global transaction value for APMs is projected to reach $142 trillion by 2030. What's particularly fascinating is the underlying driver behind this trend: a growing desire for financial sovereignty, with nations developing domestic payment ecosystems rather than remaining dependent on international financial networks. Payment Ecosystem Market Development In 2024, approximately 45 percent of the global population used digital wallets – a remarkable adoption rate for a technology that barely existed a decade ago. China leads this transition, with 95 percent of its population using WeChat's payment functionality. WeChat exemplifies the "super app" phenomenon, where payment capabilities are in...