Cheap minutes. Cost conscious consumers. Sounds like a recipe for success.

It might also be the way that cellular providers survive this economic downturn. Sprint has already started its economic marketing with their commercial featuring their CEO and new one price unlimited plan, and as Stacy Higgenbotham notes, cellular handset forecasts are also down for next, a further sign of waning consumer interest.

But could Mobile VoIP, the ringmaster of cheap minutes and pioneer of the next generation of telecommunications be an outlet for cellular carriers to survive or even possibly grow during a recession?

Certainly on paper it seems that Mobile VoIP services will fair well in a recession as they are a low cost alternative for those making international phone calls. Wi-Fi availability continues to explode and the number of cellular customers using smartphones with data plans and Wi-Fi capability is at an all time high.

What might seem like a slam dunk, though, is unfortunately in the frying pan hands of the cellular carriers. Some braver souls have begun experimenting with the integration of third party Mobile VoIP and social communications services to provide greater value to their existing customer base (and draw more customers in), but none have really stood up and taken a proactive lead in bring these sorts of services to the masses.

Possibly the bleak outlook will inspire them to change. But given their track record, I don’t see that happening. Then again, they may have no other choice. After all, who needs video clips on demand or the latest ring tone, when you can’t even pay the bill?