VoIP Forecast To Shake-Up Telecoms Industry
Voice-over-internet protocol (VoIP) looks set to revolutionise the telcoms industry, with new research from Continental Research forecasting strong growth for the medium.
Commenting on the findings, James Myring, associate director at Continental Research, said: “Several industries such as travel, retail and banking have been seriously changed by the internet, and now the telecoms industry looks set to feel the full force of this competition.”
Of those who have used VoIP, 56% said they expect to increase their usage of it over the next year, with 32% claiming it will stay the same and just 1% reducing usage.
Myring continued: “VoIP has great potential for growth, not only are significant numbers of non VoIP users expected to try out the service in the next year, but the majority of existing VoIP users are expecting to use it more.”
Skype is currently the market leader, with nearly half, 48%, of all VoIP customers using it, followed by MSN Messenger at 20%.
According to recent predictions from TeleGeography, total VoIP subscribers in the US grew by a massive 284% year on year in the last quarter of 2005, reaching 4.5 million, compared to just 1.3 million for the same time in 2004 (see VoIP Lines To Hit 19 Million By 2010).
Globally, the International Data Corporation forecasts strong growth for VoIP, projecting 27 million users to have subscribed by 2009 (see Popularity Of E-Shopping Continues To Grow).
In-Stat’s recent Global VoIP Has Arrived; Just Not as Expected report showed that total VoIP subscribers reached 16 million in 2005, enjoying a year on year jump of 62%. In-Stat projects the medium to grow to over 55 million in 2009 (see Popularity Of E-Shopping Continues To Grow).
