Small firms lead VoIP take-up

A new survey has revealed that uptake of VoIP services by UK small businesses will double over the next 12 months and indeed it is small businesses that are driving the market.

The study by Vanson Bourne predicts that 48 per cent of small businesses will be using VoIP services this time next year, up from a current figure of 25 per cent.

Other results of the survey include the findings that 57 per cent of companies with between two to ten employees and 48 per cent of sole traders are planning to use VoIP in the next 12 months, compared to 20 per cent of companies with 31 to 50 employees.

Bill Murphy, managing director of BT Business, which commissioned the report, said: "There has been a huge increase in the use of VoIP by the UK's smaller businesses and that looks set to continue.

"However, there is a large proportion of the community, particularly medium sized businesses, who could still benefit from understanding more about VoIP and using it to the best advantage of their business."

Regionally, London topped the table with the highest number of companies using VoIP followed by the north-east of England (24 per cent) and the south-west (23 per cent).

In fourth place was Northern Ireland (20 per cent), followed by the north-west (19 per cent) and the south-east (18 per cent). Scotland came seventh (17 per cent), ahead of the Midlands (15 per cent).

Just five per cent of businesses in Wales have adopted VoIP.