WLAN expansion could drive uptake of mobile VoIP phones

Cordless VoIP phones capable of operating over wireless local area networks (WLANs) could become more popular as a greater number of businesses upgrade their infrastructure.

According to figures from IDC, the global market for WLAN equipment - both retail and enterprise - grew 12.4 per cent in 2010, with a slightly lower sequential rise of 11.6 per cent between the third and fourth quarters.

Networked entertainment appliances are driving interest in the home retail WLAN segment, but it is the enterprise segment that is largely responsible for the increase in shipments.

Over the full year, IDC reports a 34.9 per cent growth rate in enterprise WLAN equipment sales, paving the way for related technologies such as mobile VoIP phones to be installed.

In August 2010, John Delaney, research director for European consumer mobile at IDC, said a tipping point was being reached as more service providers began to contemplate offering VoIP telephony to cell-phone subscribers amid a climate of rising IP telephony uptake.