Consumers embracing internet phone calls

Demand for VoIP solutions could be set to increase after a study revealed many households are using the internet to make calls, rather than their mobile phones.

According to figures from the European Commission, nearly two-thirds of people in EU member states are concerned about the cost of making calls on a handset and are cutting down as a result.

Figures showed that 65 per cent of respondents took this course of action between February and March 2011, up from 61 per cent in November-December 2009.

The European Commission noted that people are instead making use of their broadband connection to get in touch with others.

For instance, the number of people using the internet to make voice calls at a reduced rate has risen by six per cent since the end of 2009 to 28 per cent.

According to UK government figures, more than two-thirds of properties around the country currently have a fixed broadband connection in place.