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Mobile Internet take up is dominated by mobile VoIP, now an established reality globally, in both developed and importantly developing countries as the benefits of cost and flexibility are well understood. What is not certain yet is how the supply chain will eventually pan out and where the value will settle between independent suppliers, operators, media owners and vendors such as Microsoft and Google getting involved with their own mobile services. This article aims to examine the factors influencing successful collaboration between these players.

Nimbuzz is the comprehensive mobile VoIP, Presence and IM provider that also brings voice to social networks. Mobile VoIP is a highly competitive sector with many well known and not so well known providers offering different MVoIP components. Nimbuzz' s USP is offering its product across the widest range of handsets, across the most IM and Social Network communities and in the most countries, a vision they call 'Mobile Freedom'.

To put it succinctly, content suppliers have two commercial aims, first to build user base to make both a successful business and also as a commodity to offer potential partners. Second, to investigate ways services can be leveraged financially, a process that has already started for Nimbuzz with 10 major social network and 3 operator deals on the table. Making MVoIP and associated services a commercial success is something the industry as a whole is starting to think about and this article will investigate the success to date and the potential future impact of mobile freedom.

In the immediate future, the current confusing market is allowing third party providers such as Nimbuzz to offer mobile VoIP using Wi-Fi services or the user's data plan exploiting open operating systems, flat-rate data plans and features like 'naked SIP' and built-in VoIP capability. By working with providers, operators have the opportunity to gain experience of mobile VoIP from independent specialists thereby reducing risk of their own large scale roll out.

Future market success factors

The success factors in this area include pricing structure as operator response to existing price erosion already exists - cutting internet data costs and introducing fixed data packages. The other factor is in developed countries vis a vis developing where a dollar is a weeks pay. In the end user take up, current growth is also due to increased take up of smart phones moving away from the early adopter and high end business user to mainstream audiences. Further, the propensity to download software, initiate calls via PC, swap Sim cards etc vs unacceptable high roaming tariffs leads to offering a fully integrated service.

Customers like choice and the products they will want and use vary according to country, calling patterns, preferences, handset, "host" mobile operator, specific tariff, partnerships, interest in "enhanced" VoIP vs. cheap calls etc. The other factor is integration of familiar technologies eg Skype to break sown barriers to trial. Reports suggest that the number of VoIP subscribers will more than double in the next four years and Disruptive Analysis forecasts 255m active VoIPo3G users by the end of 2012, with the figure dominated by mobile operators' own 3.5G+ voice services. Despite this growth, penetration will still be below 10 per cent of total global mobile subscribers, and around 20 per cent of all 3G+ users, by 2012.