VoIP News: May 2009

Broadband connection speeds of two megabits per second (Mbps) remain unattainable for around three million UK homes, according to the BBC. The research defies assumptions that connectivity problems are primarily a rural problem, as issues were discovered in urban areas as well as in more remote communities. Plans to deliver speeds of at least 2Mbps to every home in the UK by 2012 have been announced by the government, which would deliver faster download speeds and potentially benefit VoIP solutions used by both private residents and business customers.

Android telephone handsets are set to benefit from cheaper international calls with the availability of VoIP solution Vopium, reports VoIP News. The application provides users with access to savings of as much as 90 per cent off the cost of a call and the company is looking to expand the availability of the product throughout the global telecommunications market. Already available from Blackberry App World and the iPhone App Store, users can visit the website and download the application free of charge, at which point it integrates with the address book on the user's handset.

The vast majority of small UK businesses are adopting flexible work patterns in order to achieve greater success in the modern economy, a survey has revealed. Technology such as VoIP hardware and networking is making life easier for many companies, with a survey from Citrix Online revealing that over 80 per cent of small businesses are integrating flexible and remote working on a routine basis. Employees can now use the internet to work from anywhere that offers a suitably fast web connection and this practice is being actively embraced by more than 60 per cent of firms surveyed.

More people are choosing to supplement their income by taking advantage of home broadband connections and setting up eBay businesses, the Financial Times has revealed. Nearly 180,000 people have set up an eBay business over the course of the last two years, according to home-working services website Peopleperhour. com, while VoIP solutions give people the option to do business from home.

Money being allocated towards developing next-generation broadband networks would be better spent improving existing technology, according to Broadband Genie. The broadband comparison service praised the fact that funding has been allocated to the Technology Strategy Board (TSB), but said the money should have been earmarked for improving fibre optic cabling that has already been laid, rather than developing new networks.