Research firm ABI Research is forecasting FMC (fixed-mobile convergence) handset voice connections for enterprise customers to increase from 6.3 million this year to more than 27 million by 2014. FMC refers to voice connections made via Wi-Fi as well as cellular connections using picocells and femtocells, which are essentially on-premise based stations that boost coverage and backhaul over a fixed connection.

For enterprises, FMC promises savings by allowing users with dual-mode devices to switch transparently between cell and WLAN VoIP connections. As a result, productivity is bound to rise.

ABI Research said one reason for the trend is that Wi-Fi in smartphones is growing from a 45 percent attach rate in 2009 to a 90 percent attach rate in 2014.

The unknown for the enterprise FMC market is downloadable VoIP applications from companies such as Skype and Truphone, said practice leader Dan Shey. "Downloadable apps that offer VoIP connections over Wi-Fi or on unlimited cellular data plans may not be enterprise-grade for now. But their availability will change how we view VoIP on cell phones, leading to some interesting opportunities and challenges for the mobile supply chain."

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