Enterprise FMC: Death of the Desk Phone?

Client Software: Designing stable, usable client software that runs on popular mobile operating systems and handsets is undoubtedly the greatest challenge facing FMC developers. One key strategic decision is whether to build a full-featured client with its own look and feel, or whether to go for a lighter, transparent client that uses the native capabilities of the device.

Call Control: Enterprise FMC systems need a way to communicate between client and server. At a minimum, most systems can fall back on dual-tone multi-frequency signaling for basic functionality such as call transfer, but more advanced services are enabled by sending signaling over the 3G, EDGE, or WLAN data channel. Most vendors are moving towards SIP, but OnRelay Ltd. , which claims broadly applicable patents in this area (and incidentally, has one of the slickest demo and client software offerings on the market), is using its proprietary mobile-optimized Telephony Internetworking Protocol (TINP).

Unified Communications: The potential to combine telephony services with corporate data should be the cornerstone of any enterprise FMC deployment. It starts simply with features such as unified call logs or access to corporate directories, and then evolves to integrate corporate messaging and presence. Established PBX vendors such as Cisco Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: CSCO) and Avaya Inc. are jumping on this opportunity as the second coming of unified communications, while privately held FirstHand Technologies , which supplies OEM software to PBX makers NEC Corp. (Tokyo: 6701), 3Com Corp. (Nasdaq: COMS) and Nortel Networks Ltd. , is also pursuing this strategy.

Data Integration: A different twist on data integration comes from BlackBerry , which is looking to integrate FMC with its BlackBerry Enterprise Server and reap the concomitant security and management benefits. Startup Telepo Inc. , which OEMs to Ericsson AB (Nasdaq: ERIC), sees itself not so much as a voice solution, but as a "routing engine" that links mobile user identities to enterprise applications, whether a voice PBX, a CRM system, or both.

Wireless LAN: Contrary to popular belief, wireless LAN is not a prerequisite for enterprise FMC, and the majority of deployments today don't use it. Nevertheless, with its importance set to increase over time, support for WLAN is essential. One vendor pushing hard on this front is Siemens Communications Group , which recently introduced its SIP-based Mobile Connect Appliance, saying the majority of its WLAN customers already run VOIP. Another is DiVitas Networks Inc. , which has partnerships with several WLAN vendors and sees the technology as critical to enabling a disruptive FMC business model.

Carrier Integration: The thorny issue of how best to work with mobile carriers (if at all) is a perennial concern for enterprise FMC players. By integrating with the carrier's core network, either as an IN server via SS7 or as an IMS application server, service performance can be improved and more basic handsets can be supported. On the other hand, it's going to take a long time for mobile operators to really begin pushing this concept, and advanced services will be restricted to devices attached to a single carrier's network. One example of a startup firmly behind carrier integration is Tango Networks Inc.