Seven more operators have joined the Fixed-Mobile Convergence Alliance (FMCA), the body formed in July 2004 to attempt to formalise support for fixed-mobile convergence standards and technologies.
The seven new members add the weight of around 240 million customers to the FMC’s efforts to secure vendor commitment to launch a range of Bluetooth UMA, Wi-Fi UMA and Wi-Fi SIP enabled handsets.
The FMCA is forecasting that more than 15 Wi-Fi enabled mid-price convergence handsets will be commercially available from major handset vendors by mid-2006, saying it will deliver the product requirements for the key convergence technologies by mid to late 2005.
The FMCA’s aim is to reduce the time it takes for convergence products to hit the consumer and business markets across the world and formalise relations with a number of Standards Development Organisations (SDOs) for the FMCA UMA and Wi-Fi SIP product requirements. The Alliance will also attempt to quantify the global convergence opportunity by producing report in October 2005 detailing the key segments and regional markets.
The new FMCA members are: Auna Group, Spain; Belgacom, Belgium; Cesky Telecom, The Czech Republic; PCCW, Hong Kong; TRUE, Thailand;Telecom New Zealand and Telkom South Africa
Ryan Jarvis, Chairman of the FMCA and Chief of Convergence Products at BT, said, “The rapid expansion of the FMCA demonstrates the importance that leading operators across the world are both placing on accelerating convergence and recognising the FMCA as the leader in creating the environment for Convergence tosucceed.”
Existing members of the FMCA are:
AT&T Corp, US; Bezeq, Israel; Brasil Telecom, BT; Cegetel, France; Korea Telecom; KPN, Netherlands; NTT Com
and Rogers Wireless and Swisscom.
