VoIP expected to be good despite global downturn

Grant Thornton says VoIP growth will continue over the next few years despite a downturn in the global economy. G-T says there should be around $21.5 billion dollars in global VoIP revenues by 2010, with telecom and IT companies fighting over who get it and over 250 million worldwide VoIP subscribers.

Migration from fixed line to mobile and VoIP services is anticipated to increase "exponentially" over the coming years and will result in a "raft" of consolidation in the sector throughout 2008, signaling the death of traditional telephony. G-T cites the doubling of the VoIP subscriber base in 2006 and four fold in the last two years as just one reason for the change.  

Large telcos are expected to make strategic acquisitions of independent software developers looking to consolidate their VoIP offerings. Incumbent operators are expected to offset declines in traditional voice revenues and retain customers by grabbing up VoIP software developers. Others snapped up in consolidation may be independent residential and enterprise ISPs and resellers.

Not everything is sunshine. Security remains a major concern, with issues including include quality of service issues, reliability, scalability and the development of industry regulation also potential bumps in the road.

For more:
- Grant Thornton release predicting VoIP Growth in 2008
- ComputerWeekly piece on VoIP Making It Through Downturn

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