According to In-stat, "In both business and consumer markets, widespread adoption of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) depends on the availability of wireless VoIP handsets".

Their release about their report goes on to say, "Dual-mode cellular/WiFi handsets will be the key driver to mass consumer adoption of VoIP, the high-tech market research firm says. By 2009, In-Stat forecasts that over 66 million cellular/WiFi handsets will be in operation."

While I agree with In-Stat's statements, the market sure does seem to be moving slowly to dual-mode handsets - due to politics and pandering of the phone manufacturers to the cellphone carriers. 66 million cellular/WiFi handsets sounds a bit optimistic considering how slowly it has been moving so far. There are a few dual-mode handsets on the market, in particular in Japan, but as for the U.S. it has been slow going. For now, at least in the U.S. if you want a phone with WiFi VoIP capability, you'll have to settle for one that doesn't access the mobile network as well, such as the ZyXEL P2000W WiFi Phone I reviewed a few days ago.

Getting back to the In-Stat Dual-Mode cellular/WiFi report, it states:

“Wireless high-speed broadband access, unified messaging, video, and dual-network cellular/WiFi services are making the mobile triple play a consumer market reality,” says Keith Nissen, In-Stat analyst. “The key to successfully capturing the market for these next-generation personalized services is control of the end-point device.”

A recent report by In-Stat found the following:

* Worldwide, consumer VoIP subscribers using wireless IP phones will grow from 2% currently to 73% in 2009.
* Based on competition from mobile carriers without wireline operations, Europe will be the largest initial market for dual-mode smartphones.
* While mass production of dual-mode sets is not scheduled until 2007, an In-Stat market survey found that over 80% of businesses have an interest in the technology.

The report, “Wireless IP Phones Drive Future VoIP Markets” (#IN0501955CT), covers the evolution of business and consumer IP end points, and analyzes the impact on the future telecom industry. The report outlines the continued migration of PBX markets to enterprise IP telephony, along with the deployment of dedicated and standards-based IP telephones and soft clients, and the growth of wireless LAN and dual-network WiFi/cellular handsets. 2004 unit shipments are presented by category, along with 2005-2009 IP phone forecasts.

For more information on this report, please visit:
http://www.instat.com/catalog/bcatalogue.asp?id=18