I know, I know...another inflamatory title to a post, but bear with me here people. Last year, I had suggested that Fixed Mobile Convergence (FMC) was going to be the next killer application for enterprise mobility during 2008. I wasn't right (see an analyst admitted he was wrong!), per se, but hear me out on this...
So we all know by now that the economy is in a bit of a funk...meaning we have been officially in a recession for over a year now. Additionally, it would not be surprising for organizations to cut back on their mobility investments given the knee jerk reaction of cutting spending across the board. Telecom and IT expenses are always scrutinized because of the increasing proportion of an overall budget they maintain. But what if I could suggest a way to LOWER telecom expenses all the while keeping, if not increasing the mobility of a workforce? I know, wouldn't that make me oh so special??? Hear me out people...
So I am not suggesting that FMC adoption will explode this year, but at the very least let me throw out a scenario as to why it should... Telecom expenses are high. My old company was looking to deploy an IP-PBX system for about 100 people, and that was going to cost well over $100,000. That's NUTS! Add on top of that the fact that all the employees had cell phones and that most people had smartphones. What if my company could have saved some money on that entire process?
Here's where I change the story from Fixed Mobile Convergence to Fixed Mobile SUBSTITUTION. Pull out the desk phone and empower your employees with WiFi enabled smartphones. Those devices can then employee an application that can speak to the IP-PBX via either Voice over WiFi or via the 3G data connection of the device. Mobile workers (who are never at their desk by the way) can still use their mobile for work but gain the benefits of FMC. It also reduces fundamental infrastructure costs in terms of not having to invest in desk phones....if you have an organization with hundreds or thousands of employees, the savings can become impacful!
So I am not suggesting that FMC is for all organizations....particularly in the context of fixed mobile substitution, but I want to throw out the idea that organizations who are looking to lower their telecom costs, without reducing the flexibility, mobility and productivity of their workforce should at the very least CONSIDER the whole notion of fixed mobile convergence....
