24 March 2006
There will be a rapid increase in the number of subscribers to telephone services that combine fixed line and mobile telephone calls, research suggests.
US firm ABI Research is predicting a tenfold increase in the amount of businesses subscribing to fixed/mobile converged packages by the end of the decade.
ABI Research analyst Ian Cox said: "Using a converged handset indoors will remove mobile call charges and reduce costs accordingly."
The findings follow the recent launch of a converged telephone service from BT, which was aimed at small and medium-sized businesses in the UK.
BT offered companies a single bill for both fixed and mobile services, a billing analyser and capped charges on fixed-to-mobile calls.
Mobile phone operator Orange also launched a convergence plan aimed at businesses last month.
Industry observers say that the new convergence products could influence other large phone service operators to introduce similar products onto the market.
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