The mobile voice communication services market has been prone to technological disruption and over-the-top (OTT) software application innovation. Over the past decade, the mobile voice services landscape has been profoundly affected by several ground-breaking advances in new technology.
These include the penetration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning in communication services, the rise of highly customized OTT mobile voice and messaging apps, and the deployment of superior cellular wireless connectivity modes -- such as 4G LTE and 5G technology.
Mobile Communications Market Development
Looking ahead, demand for video calling solutions will drive additional growth opportunities. According to the latest worldwide market study by Juniper Research, the number of mobile video calling services reached 1.8 billion globally in 2020 -- rising from 1.2 billion in 2019.
This represents a growth of 50 percent over 12 months, as the global COVID-19 pandemic fuelled the need for more remote communication services that enable enterprise employees to work from anywhere.
The Juniper market study findings predict that the number of mobile video calling service users will continue to grow, eventually reaching 4.5 billion users by 2025, representing more than 50 percent of overall global mobile service subscribers.
The Juniper analysis identified North America and Europe as two regions that will likely experience considerable adoption of mobile voice and video calling solutions over the next four years.
By 2025, over 70 percent of mobile subscribers are anticipated to use mobile video calling solutions in these regions -- owing to high smartphone ownership and the ubiquitous availability of video calling services.
Further fueling net-new growth, the Juniper analyst recommends the integration of mobile voice and video calling services into smart speakers to maximize internet communication services value.
"Innovation in the mobile voice and video space will come from consumer devices beyond smartphones, enabled by the IP-based nature of video calling services. This provides the perfect platform for the development and rollout of new video calling services over the next four years," said George Crabtree, an analyst at
Juniper Research.
Outlook for Mobile Communications Applications Growth
The research also predicts that the global number of voice-over-LTE (VoLTE) connections will reach 5.5 billion by 2025 -- that's rising from an estimated 3.3 billion in 2021.
This growth of 60 percent over the next four years will be accelerated by increasing adoption of 5G subscriptions by mobile subscribers, as VoLTE services are included in 5G standards.
Juniper analysts recommend that increasing the level of virtualization within core wireless communication networks should be considered a priority for mobile service providers to handle increasing VoLTE traffic.
I anticipate that the ongoing transition to distributed workforce models and remote working applications will drive more CIOs and CTOs to seek the most effective unified communication solutions. Moreover, voice and video collaboration tools will continue to evolve as more organizations embrace flexible working arrangements.
