A LogicaCMG survey of over 100 attendees at the recent Global Messaging 2006 conference revealed mixed attitudes towards next generation messaging and IP Multimedia Subsystems (IMS), the IP-based mobile infrastructure platforms that are predicted to replace existing systems.

The vast majority (38%) of respondents are confident that IMS and mobile Instant Messaging (IM) will be mature enough to take over legacy messaging delivery methods globally by 2008, with a further 5% optimistic that it will be ready by the end of 2006. 60% of respondents predict that IM will be the first IMS service to succeed, with email and text only polling 18% and 15% respectively. However, there are some sceptics (21%) who believe that these messaging methods will never fully replace text (SMS) and picture (MMS) messaging.

CEOs can be encouraged by the fact that the introduction of new services to differentiate and enhance SMS will have the biggest impact on messaging profitability, according to more than one third (34%) of respondents. This implies that if implemented smoothly and in a way which consumers will react to, the Return on Investment from next generation SMS will contribute significantly to operators' fortunes. Also highlighted as factors which will impact messaging profitability are IMS (19%), cost reduction of SMS infrastructure (19%), higher value messaging services (18%) and wider overall messaging uptake (10%).

Further changes in the mobile industry are predicted, with only 12% believing that operators themselves are going to be the major brands in mobile messaging in two years time. Instead, 31% think that messaging will be increasingly community driven with no one brand dominating. While this should sound a positive note to operators, indicating that there will be room for all players, they should still be aware of the threat posed by the desktop Instant Messaging leaders: 35% of show attendees believe that brands including Microsoft MSN, Yahoo and AOL will dominate the consumer mindset.

The LogicaCMG survey of industry representatives predicts that the communications tools which will be the most popular with consumers in 2008 are text messaging (35%) and voice (23%). The research also indicates that there is still weight behind the argument for video calling as 17% think this could be most popular with consumers. Advanced data services like email and IM still need to capture the consumer imagination, however, as only 10% and 13% respectively rate these as becoming the most popular tools.
www.logicacmg.com