(Image Credit: iStockPhoto/michal-rojek)
New research from Juniper suggests that over the next five years over-the-top (OTT) voice providers could see revenues increase fivefold, largely at the expense of traditional operators whose voice revenues are declining sharply.
One major factor behind the drop in revenue for conventional voice carriers is the absence of a widely adopted rich communications standard. OTT apps such as WhatsApp, Hangouts, Line, iMessage, and Skype deliver richer features and seamless cross-network communication, which make them more attractive to users than legacy carrier messaging and calling services.
Today, Google has announced its acquisition of Jibe Mobile, signaling a clear bet on Jibe as a leader in Rich Communication Services (RCS).
Jibe Mobile was an early proponent of RCS, a set of standards that lets operators offer features similar to those found in OTT apps while keeping customers within their billing relationships. RCS supports capabilities like group chats, high-resolution photo sharing, read receipts, location sharing, and other enhanced messaging functions.
Mike Dodd, Android RCS Software Engineer, explained: “Many leaders in the wireless industry have already put great work into laying the foundation for RCS, and we’ve heard from many of them that there are ways Android can help. We’re excited to team up with mobile operators, device makers and the rest of the Android ecosystem to support RCS standards and help accelerate their deployment in a more consistent way. We’re already working closely with many of our partners on implementing RCS, and look forward to growing the RCS ecosystem together.”
By acquiring Jibe Mobile, Google is positioning itself to drive broader RCS adoption across the Android ecosystem. The acquisition also aligns with Google’s experimental mobile service, Project Fi, where RCS might be integrated to enhance the messaging experience for subscribers.
Project Fi offers a distinctive approach to connectivity by combining multiple LTE networks and switching seamlessly between carriers to provide the best available cellular signal, while also connecting to secure Wi‑Fi when appropriate. Billing for Project Fi is simple: a $20 base charge that covers unlimited calls and texts in the United States and across about 120 countries, plus $10 per gigabyte of data.
Dodd added: “Deploying RCS to create an even better messaging experience on Android will take time and collaboration throughout the wireless industry, but we’re excited to get started.”
Do you think Jibe can lead the Rich Communications standard? Share your thoughts in the comments.