130m mobile video callers by 2016

Growing fast, but still fewer than one in ten smartphone users.

A report by Juniper Research says mobile video calling has grown fast in the last 18 months thanks to services like FaceTime and Skype, and the widespread availability of front-facing cameras on smartphones.

The downloadable app model has helped too, although Juniper finds that there are still few alliances between operators and mVoIP service providers. It also reports the absence of a clear route to monetise new IP-based mobile video calling services.

Further findings include:

* Mobile VoIP and mobile video calling services will develop faster in developed markets due to the correlation between these services and 3G and 4G roll outs.
* Revenues from the circuit-switched voice market will diminish over the next five years, with many services offered for free by players wishing to kick-start the market.
* Voice may get a second life as it becomes available within other apps such as gaming and social networking. Alliances between Facebook and mVoIP providers, and the acquisition of Skype by Microsoft are expected to accelerate this trend.