VoIP To Exceed 4.1 Million By End Of 2005

The recent advances in the technology has increased its popularity, with stunning growth resulting from VoIP’s capability of replacing home phone services of residential customers. Consequentially, US residential subscriber totals have jumped to well over 2 million as of March 2005, up from 150,000 at the end of 2003.

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 high-tech market research firm, In-Stat (see Travel Websites Attract 23% More European Women In February 2005).

The lowering in cost and the technology and ease of integration into the work place is causing small businesses to switch to VoIP, according to analyst eMarketer, with the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) showing that 7.3% of US small businesses currently use VoIP (see Small Businesses Adopt VoIP).

A recent study by International Data Corporation (IDC) shows 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).

The slow uptake of VoIP is put down to lack of consumer knowledge, with awareness of the technology yet to penetrate the marketplace. New research from TNS Telecoms shows that just 26% of US households with internet access claim to have heard of VoIP service (see Consumers Lack Knowledge Of VoIP).