Telecoms 'boom' set to drive technology

Using VoIP systems may be cutting edge communications at the moment, but further technological advances are predicted for the future due to the influence of emerging markets abroad.

According to the UK's telecom industry watchdog Ofcom, the growth in the use of mobile phone in China, Brazil, India and Russia added some 660 million new contract holders since 2001.

This accounted for some 40 per cent of people who subscribed to mobile deals during that period.

The Bric (Brazil, India, Russia and China) quartet is still regarded as having a developing telecoms infrastructure and economy.

But Ofcom suggested that these countries have major influence as they account for half the world's population which telecoms firms would love to tap into.

Furthermore, they are often at the forefront of innovation as they do not have to contend with outdated telecommunications structures, unlike Western countries.

For example, China will reportedly have created an influential fibre optic broadband market within the next five years, according to research firm Frost and Sullivan.

Such a system has been proposed for the UK, but action towards bringing it to fruition has seemingly stalled in recent weeks - despite the potential business benefits through faster data transfer and improved quality VoIP.