MWC 2012: Call to arms for mobile video

More business users want to utilise video calls on their mobiles, but devices do not live up to the promises when it comes to ease of use or quality.

So claims Ralph de la Vega, chief executive (CEO) of mobile provider AT&T, who acknowledged its flaws during his keynote speech today at Mobile World Congress and called on the gathered industry experts to help make a difference.

My challenge to all of us in this room is to figure out how we can take rich communication services and take it to the next level.

"We have made it too difficult to do video calls," he claimed, "despite the increasing [desire] to do so."

The CEO then challenged the audience to make a enhance usability by next year's MWC.

"My challenge to all of us in this room is to figure out how we can take rich communication services and take it to the next level," he said.

"We have to make it simple, make it easy... and by the time we meet here next year... it will be as easy for customers to place video calls as it is to place voice calls today."

Of course, the improvements cannot be made without extra investment and he called on companies, as well as regulatory bodies, to get behind this and vote with their wallets as well as their feet.

"No innovation cycle in this industry is possible without investment and we need to have sustainable business models... with regulators supportive of this," added de la Vega.

"If we continue to invest in the ecosystem by fostering innovation... we have incredible opportunities... and in my view it has no limits."

The CEO concluded: "We must push for more spectrum, invest in networks for the future, support apps and make it effortless for customers."