Loading ...By Sharla Sikes
Voice over IP phones have crossed from tech-nerd-dom into mainstream, and communications giants expect the trend to continue. Time Warner Telecom exec Michael Rouleau claims we’ll see 95 percent of businesses using VoIP technology in just a few short years.
Attractive pricing hasn’t entirely overcome customer worries; many are concerned about service quality, especially when bad news has (as always) outpaced good news when it comes to problems with VoIP service. “No news is good news,” they say, and that’s certainly true of the thousands of businesses (and individuals) happily and quietly using VoIP for their phone service.
Rouleau hopes for positive experiences of users with their VoIP service to boost the industry. He really is a bit overly optimistic, but it’s true that the ball is in the service providers’ courts. They’ve got to prove to their customers, and especially potential customers, that VoIP is dependable, convenient and affordable. As businesses network and interact, the word will spread if there’s a high percentage of positive experiences. Once more companies understand that there is little or no risk in switching their communications systems to VoIP, more and more will join the crowd.
While his projected figure of 95 percent is pretty high for just three years from now, I have no doubts that the service will grow.
North of the border is a slightly different story, however. A recent study by Statistics Canada showed that while there’s continued growth in the Canadian VoIP market, there’s also currently only a 10 percent market penetration, with VoIP use concentrated in Alberta (13.5 percent) and lagging in the outlying areas (5 percent in Newfoundland, Labrador).
What’s the reason for the lack of interest in Canada? Is it a shortage of service providers? A mistrust of the quality of service? Poor advertising on the part of the providers themselves? Whatever the reason, providers could turn the low numbers to their advantage and create a VoIP boom, after a little market research and carefully tailoring service plans that will attract new users.
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Very good article. I enjoyed it reading.
Thanks.