Small businesses are reported to be migrating to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), being swayed by the lowering in cost of the technology and its ease of integration into the work place, according to US analyst eMarketer.
The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) shows that 7.3% of US small businesses currently use VoIP, with usage higher among firms with fewer employees.
According to Steve Butler, eMarketer senior analyst: “Businesses are clearly beginning to take greater interest in VoIP technology. IP telephony remains in the early adoption phase, however, with aggressive technology adopters leading the way up to this point.”
The NFIB’s poll found that small businesses are receptive to different phone providers, especially in terms of economic value. One out of four owners of small firms were shown to have switched local telephone-service providers in the past three years, and more than three-quarters of those who shopped said that the cost of their current service drove their decision.
Migration to VoIP is predicted to reach its peak between 2010 and 2012, with penetration starting to grow over the next four years, according to market research firm In-Stat.
A recent study by International Data Corporation (IDC) reveals that VoIP is beginning to attract more consumers, predicting 27 million users to have subscribed by 2009, an increase of 24 million from the 3 million who currently use the technology (see VoIP Gaining In Popularity).
A number of recent studies confirm forecasts for strong VoIP growth, predicting penetration to reach nearly 20 million households worldwide by 2010. Although currently the uptake is slow, over the next five years VoIP is estimated to reach about 25% of the high-speed internet access market, generating nearly $1 billion (see VoIP To Reach 20 Million Households By 2010).
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