Convergence was touted as "the next big thing" in telecoms but has experienced something of a backlash now that some of the confident predictions made about it have not taken place.Industry commentators now err on the side of caution or outright pessimism when discussing convergence and FMC.

Convergence has reached a point where early technologies, such as UMA and femtocells, have been deployed to enable FMC for voice services but full FMC still remains more of a vision than a reality.

Defining the parameters of convergence and FMC

Convergence is a pervasive phenomenon developing from the pressures of late 20th and early 21st century life - most clearly seen in the erosion of time available to individuals to fulfil work and social activities. Time has become a commodity to be traded; consequently anything that improves the efficiency of its use is a valuable asset. This is an important principle as it is the key attraction for convergent services acting as the litmus test for any convergent service offering, if a service fails to fulfil this core principle and does not provide some increase in efficiency - whether through increased usability or improved effectiveness - then success is far from guaranteed.

Convergence is a seemingly simple concept that has become increasingly complicated by its use in the telecoms sector. In order to best understand convergence, it is practical to consider it in terms of the players involved. Although convergence will benefit many players involved in the telecoms industry, there are a number of core player types that will need to formulate specific strategies to tackle its challenges and take full advantage of its opportunities.

This is an extract from the FMC and Convergence Service Strategies: 3rd edition report.