Is Fixed Mobile Convergence too late?

IDC have reported that by 2013 it expects an 18% increase in the number of personal mobile phones used for business.  In terms of actual devices this amounts to a staggering 57 Million mobile devices.  And if IDC are correct, just think of all those expense claims;  all those hours tagging your business calls and data usage from your personal bill!

But the real question isn’t how employees will get reimbursed for the business use;  it’s has consumerisation driven the market to such a level that employees (consumers) will simply use their own device and bundle because its there, it’s the device they want, and allows them to integrate their work and life?

It’s a big question and one that if an Enterprise or Mobile Operator gets wrong could cost them millions.  With Fixed Mobile Convergence solutions finally moving from PowerPoint into real demonstrable solutions, who owns the mobile device will be critical to the success of specific FMC solutions.

Lets look at our Generation Y workforce:

• The mobile device they carry is a lifestyle decision.
• They call 07 mobile numbers as opposed to 01/02 landlines.
• Text and Instant Messenger are as important as Voice.
• The biggest growth area of Social Networking is from mobile devices.

So if everyone is happy calling each other on their mobiles for business or pleasure, I can Text, Instant Message and update my Web 2.0 applications from my device, but more importantly it’s the device I wanted.

For me the question is simple: can the mobile operators deliver cost effective Fixed Mobile Convergence products before users don’t need them, because if there is no Fixed then you don’t need to converge it!