Amended from PC Pro - UK:

Making phone calls via WiMax has the ability to rival DSL and cable-modem VoIP services for the attentions of broadband subscribers, according to market research company In-Stat.

InStat estimates that by 2009, three per cent of total broadband subscribers (which will run to around 8.5 million subscribers worldwide) will be using WiMax-based broadband wireless access services. Of these, the company says that nearly 4.5 million of these wireless broadband subscribers will also subscribe to Voice over WiMax (VoWiMAX) services.

However, InStat is less certain whether there will be mass migration to VoWiMAX. 'The market success of WiMax is far from certain,' said Keith Nissen, an analyst with InStat. 'Consumer broadband markets cannot support an unlimited number of Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) service providers. Increased broadband competition, price compression and high subscriber acquisition costs threaten to drive margins ever lower.'

The company estimates that BWA service providers are likely to take a maximum 15 per cent market share in metropolitan areas.