Cloud computing 'set for major growth'

Cloud computing, which includes services such as IP telephony, is set to grow significantly in the next few years, an expert has suggested.

Speaking at the annual Intellect Regent conference in London, TechmarketView managing partner Anthony Miller predicted 26 per cent year-on-year growth in the sector, Computer Weekly reports.

Mr Miller went on to forecast that private cloud computing deployments would make up the bulk of this expansion, adding that the market could be worth £6 billion by 2014.

However, the expert was cautious about the future prospects of the IT industry in general, predicting growth below that of gross domestic product, despite huge sales of mobile devices.

Overall technology expenditure could shrink for the next two years before starting to climb again in 2013, he added.

Many small and medium-sized businesses are turning to cloud computing solutions to increase their level of efficiency and make cost savings as a result, a recent Webtorials report revealed.