VoIP is reshaping the telephony landscape in Europe

VoIP is reshaping the telephony landscape in Europe but take-up remains varied across individual nations, a leading organisation claims.

According to a report by research firm TeleGeography, there was an estimated 35 million consumer VoIP lines in Europe at the close of 2008.

The firm also predicts this has the potential to grow to 48 million connections being established by the end of 2009.

However, results for 2008 varied per country with the household penetration of VoIP reaching nearly 50 per cent in France compared to below three per cent in Spain.

Annual subscriber growth rates also varied, ranging from 544 per cent in Portugal to a comparatively modest 13 per cent in Norway.

Patrick Christian, TeleGeography analyst, said: "Europe may have a single market, but it's far from common."

"However, while the uptake of IP telephony services varies widely, VoIP has been a powerful spur to innovation, even in some countries with relatively modest numbers of VoIP subscribers."

Mobivox vice-president Larry Lisser recently told the Wall Street Journal that despite the economic downturn, there is still "enormous opportunity" in the internet telephony market.