This study provides an overview of the push-to-talk (PTT) market. This includes a view of the current and future status of PTT including pricing and presence issues, standardization, vendor and mobile operator profiles, and the business case for PTT in the consumer and enterprise markets.

Forecast and analysis is provided on the number of PTT users and spending from PTT services. The study also provides profiles of selected PTT providers in Western Europe.

The information provided in this study is essential reading for mobile operators, content providers, and any other player in the mobile market that are interested in the Western European PTT market. The study will provide these companies with essential data and analysis on how the European PTT market has developed; giving examples on the services and strategies that PTT providers have put in place to attract the mobile user.

"The standardization of PTT solutions services is critical to its success," said Rosie Secchi, a senior research analyst at IDC's European Wireless and Mobile Communications Group. "The services launched are mostly pre-standardized or proprietary ? which means that PTT services on different networks might not be compatible with each other. Proprietary services and solutions can only work with a small portion of the market and only for the short term."

IDC believes that only when there is full interoperability of handsets and most of the networks will we see much greater uptake from mobile users.