There’s no debating that wireless technologies are the wave of the future. But the keys to success are keeping pace with always-changing market trends and meeting customer expectations, the head of a London-based software platform provider told TMCnet in an interview.
Michael Bibelman, CEO of VoipSwitch, a subsidiary of Voiceserve Inc., said two technologies that already show signs of steady growth using such devices are mobile VoIP and WiFi.
“These are the sectors that will continue to grow,” Bibelman told TMC CEO Rich Tehrani in an interview (printed in full below). “We have products for almost all kinds of devices and are looking forward to see more and more applications of VoIP over WiFi in different industries.”
Bibelman, whose company is exhibiting at ITEXPO West in September, also predicted growth from the Windows’ mobile market as a result of new smartphones with faster CPU and the emergence of applications with iPhone (News - Alert)-like interfaces.
Their full exchange follows.
RT: What has the economic crisis taught you, and how has it changed your customers?
Michael Bibelman (pictured left): It is essential to have wide range of offered products directed to different market segments. This, however, requires strong focus on the changes in technology trends in the market and changes in customers’ expectations. We have always been trying to follow up, so it has not changed much our approach in decision making in our company. Still, we try to be flexible, maybe even more now, choosing those projects that have optional characteristics allowing us to take further actions depending on how the market evolves. For example, we see an excellent response to our mobile products, much higher than we expected, and therefore we have allocated more resources to speed up the development of this group of our products
RT: How is this down economy affecting your decisions to reinvest in your company or market, if at all? Where will you invest?
MB: We invest heavily in mobile and PBX (News - Alert) solutions. Also, we are working on products merging these two areas into one. This includes PBX interfaces and extensions not only for mobile phones, but also for netbooks, which market is growing rapidly.
RT: What’s the strongest segment in the communications industry?
MB: Among the clients we address our products to the most growing sector is mobile VoIP.
RT: With the rise of smartphones and netbooks, many wireless technologies, such as WiFi, appear to be poised for rapid growth. For example, we’re seeing more and more airlines add in-flight WiFi. In general, how widespread should WiFi be, in your view?
MB: We believe these are the sectors that will continue to grow fast. Regarding in-flight WiFi, in fact there are already such solutions enabling passengers to use VoIP, either from smartphones or netbooks. We have products for almost all kinds of devices and are looking forward to see more and more applications of VoIP over WiFi in different industries.
RT: Which nation or region of the world will present the largest opportunity for your company in 2009/10?
MB: Our main customer base is in Asia, and this trend seems to continue. We also hope for expanding our presence in North America and South America.
RT: In what ways is President Barack Obama helping or hindering the technology markets? What more can he do?
MB: I think that in general increasing consumer spending can help the markets, but I do not think that any government should try to stimulate technology markets directly
RT: What has the iPhone 3G taught us? I know it’s very new, but what about the Palm Pre? What are we learning from the smartphones based on the open source Google Android (News - Alert) platform?
MB: Open systems leverage the scale effect by being implemented and promoted by different manufacturers. Android’s advantage is also the fact that there is the whole Google technology behind it. Also, we believe that Windows’ mobile market share will grow thanks to new smartphones with faster CPU and lots of new applications with iPhone-like interfaces.
RT: I understand you are exhibiting Sept. 1 to 3 at ITEXPO West in Los Angeles. What will you show there? Describe the companies or people who should come to your exhibit.
MB: We will present all our main products, i.e. VoIPswitch, IP PBX, callback and calling cards solutions, SIP communicators, Webphone, Web flash portals, VoIP tunnel etc. Also, our new dialers for mobile devices including those based on Nokia (News - Alert) Symbian, Windows Mobile and iPhone. We invite all ITSP and ISP, which would like to enhance their offering by adding our technology.
Learn more about VoipSwitch at ITEXPO West — the biggest and most comprehensive IP communications event of the year. ITEXPO (News - Alert) West will take place in Los Angeles, Sept. 1 to 3, 2009, featuring three valuable days of exhibits, conferences, and networking opportunities you can’t afford to miss. Visit VoipSwitch at booth #611 in the exhibit hall. Don’t wait. Register now.
Amy Tierney is a Web editor for TMCnet, covering unified communications, telepresence, IP communications industry trends and mobile technologies. To read more of Amy's articles, please visit her columnist page.
Edited by Amy Tierney
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