A market research company has predicted that 2011 will be the year that mobile voice over internet protocol (VoIP) technology will really take off on a global scale.
When predicting revenues for VoIP resellers and providers of business phone systems, market researchers In-Stat noted the technology is increasingly being adopted by small to medium enterprises (SMEs) worldwide.
IP telephony has revolutionised telephone calls over previous years, with many residential services making the first forays into the market. However, as businesses have come to appreciate the savings that can be made compared to traditional ’land lines’, an increasing number have switched to a VoIP provider.
As VoIP technology has extended to mobile phones, 2011 is poised to be the year that sees an explosion in its use; in-Stat predict that revenues for those providing a gateway to mobile VoIP will climb to $6 billion (£3.8 billion) by 2015.
Andy Cravens, a market analyst with In-Stat, said:
“Mobile VoIP has only recently begun being implemented in the business environment.
“One of the key benefits of mobile VoIP for enterprises is extending desk phone functionality to mobile devices.
“Business-oriented solutions will essentially enable the users’ cellphones to become an extension of their desk phones and will deliver, in addition to voice, a unified communications experience, including email, IM, and collaboration.”
The research examined the issues that not only helped, but hampered the uptake of the technology, and analysed the solutions on over by key players in the market. It found that whilst some mobile operators have been reluctant to promote the technology in the past, they will likely become a driving force behind its adoption over the next five years, meaning that the numbers of people making use of it are likely to increase tenfold.
The report also attributed the growth in the numbers of people using mobile VoIP overwhelmingly to medium sized businesses.
