IP PBX extensions now account for 40%

The number of IP PBX desktop extensions installed in the UK has risen to 40 per cent of all installations in the fourth quarter of 2007, a new research paper has shown.

A study by MZA, reported by VNUnet.com shows that there has been a 33 per cent increase on the fourth quarter of 2006 and almost 750,000 PBX extensions were installed in the UK in the last three months of 2007.

Duncan Clark, research analyst at MZA, told VNUnet: "Although the UK market increased in 2007, the enterprise sector began to flatten out, so much of the growth came from the below-100 extensions market."

However, he added: "A major obstacle is still the cost for smaller organisations. It is much harder to demonstrate the return on investment and business benefits to these firms."

The next generation of voice over broadband technology is maturing, as a report of a recent study shows investment in voice over internet protocol (VoIP) and instant messaging service (IMS) networking equipment increased 19 per cent in 2007.

Channel News reports that the study, which was carried out by Infonetics Research, found that overall, service providers spent more than $3.9 billion (£1.94 billion) worldwide on VoIP and IMS technology last year.

The report predicts that this will rise to $8.4 million by 2011.