Small businesses to snap up VoIP solutions

Adoption of IP telephony solutions by small and medium businesses will accelerate over the next 12 months, Star has said.

A survey of over 100 UK businesses by the on-demand services provider revealed that uptake of VoIP solutions will gain pace in 2010.

Of those businesses with 100 employees or less polled by Star, 41 per cent are already using VoIP phones and have been since they first emerged in the late 90s.

Another 20 per cent of SMBs plan to implement VoIP over the next year, meaning that VoIP penetration could increase by 50 per cent in that time.

Those who responded to the poll identified a lack of in-house expertise as the main barrier to implementing VoIP, while fears over security look to be declining.

Just nine per cent saw security issues as a potential concern, putting them below quality, reliability and network capabilities as a barrier to VoIP adoption.

Businesses could turn to VoIP solutions as they look to invest in technology that can prove its worth in 2010.

While IT spending is expected to pick up this year, companies will focus on technology with proven value as they recover from the recession, silicon.com recently.