Funambol, the mobile open source software company announced the availability of an important new white paper detailing the opportunity for mobile operators and service providers to turn mobile email for consumers into significant new revenue.

"The F&S findings confirm that now is the time for mobile operators and service providers to tap into the vast revenue potential of mobile email on everyday cell phones," said Fabrizio Capobianco, Funambol CEO. "Consumer mobile email deployments increase subscriber retention while countering flat SMS revenues and consumer turn due to number portability and price competition."

- Mobile messaging growth over the next 18 months will shift with the transition of mobile email in the enterprise to mobile email on mass market consumer phones.

- Mobile operators and service providers have a ripe opportunity to turn mobile email for consumers into their next big cash cow, which will become increasingly important as revenue from SMS plateaus and consumers become less loyal.

- Global mobile email usage is expected to grow 24 percent annually over the next four years, with explosive growth projected post-2008 due to rapid consumer email adoption. This compares to 1 percent growth for SMS and MMS during this period.

- An open source standards-based consumer push email solution is not just a benefit to developers. It provides mobile operators and service providers with broad device compatibility, low cost, ease of use and the flexibility required to tap into the mass market.

"Mobile email will become much more popular with all wireless subscribers," said J. Gerry Purdy, Ph.D., co-author of the report. "Consumer email will join enterprise email as standard on mobile devices in the coming years. Mobile email that leverages open source and standards has the best chance for rapid adoption."