Global VoIP boosted by broadband uptake

International VoIP services could profit from the increasing number of global broadband lines.

Research released by the Broadband Forum and analyst firm Point Topic has revealed that there are now more than 500 million broadband lines installed around the world.

The landmark figure was reached during the third week of July, with nearly 12 per cent more lines deployed over the past 12 months.

IP telephony solutions users will benefit from the faster download speeds as audio quality is likely to improve, while more consumers will be able to access the technology for the first time.

Robin Mersh, chief executive of the Broadband Forum, claimed the milestone demonstrates how important high-speed internet is to our daily lives.

"We continue to work towards strategic broadband evolution goals and our work on IPv6 and helping service providers to support its integration is part of our role in anticipating and solving the issues before they arise.

"This is the one of the key initiatives that is paving the way for the next milestone to be achieved."