UMA users to top 65M by 2012

Unlicensed Mobile Access subscribers are due to reach 65 million by 2012, according to a new report from ABI Research. Although many believed UMA had lived out its role as a bridge between cellular and Wi-Fi networks, delays in the growth and development of competing solutions have pushed UMA into more services and devices, the analyst firm concluded.
ABI noted that at least seven handset manufacturers offer UMA-enabled handsets and numerous mobile operators are actively pursuing the technology. British Telecom counts more than 40,000 customers on its consumer UMA-based service, Fusion, and has launched a corporate version in eight European countries. France Telecom offers a similar service called Unique, for which it has sold more than 250,000 UMA handsets, and T-Mobile USA Inc. launched a large-scale UMA-based service last month.
“Until recently, proponents of competing fixed-mobile convergence solutions frequently cited the fact that UMA was only usable with 2G or enhanced 2G cellular services,” said principal analyst Philip Solis. “But recently, the UMA client software has received an upgrade that will allow it to work with 3G handsets and services, offering another mobile broadband fixed mobile convergence option that will be viable for some time to come.”