The percentage of companies using VoIP (voice-over-IP) quadrupled from 3 percent in 2003 to 12 percent in 2004, according to In-Stat/MDR. Enterprise VoIP adoption was much higher, says the firm, which has predicted VoIP penetration of 43 percent among large businesses, and 34 percent among mid-sized businesses, by year's end.

“There are many different ways that businesses are migrating to VoIP,” says In-Stat/MDR analyst Daryl Schoolar. “Each installation requires a certain amount of customization. For service providers, this requires a more consultative customer approach than what they are used to with their traditional services.”

The report suggests that although large and medium-sized firms have been the early adopters, “vendors should not neglect smaller firms, and should develop tailored solutions for them.” The report also suggests that most firms will likely use a mixture of voice communication services and technologies, not just VoIP.

In-Stat/MDR's report, “Business VoIP: An End-User's Perspective, 2004”, contains analysis, current user statistics, and forecasts of the US business VoIP market. It also includes data, including vendor preferences, from a proprietary user survey, according to In-Stat/MDR.

 
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