26 May 2006

VoIP Consumer Awareness Grows in US and UK

Awareness of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is rising in the UK and US, according to a study.

Over the course of nine months, the percentage of British adults who say they have heard of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) or already make telephone calls via an Internet connection increased from just a little over one-third (37%) to nearly half (46%), according to research by market research company Harris Interactive. A similar shift in awareness and use in the United States has been displayed (36% vs. 51%).

Derek Eccleston, Research director at Harris Interactive commented: "Overall, the market is much more open to VoIP than it was at the beginning of 2005. For now, it is still a service used by a niche audience, mainly male. To tempt a broader range of consumers to try the service, players in the market need to generate greater awareness of the service, explaining what it does and how it works, clearly communicating the key benefits delivered by the service, and find ways to lower the perceived barriers to usage.

“The most successful companies going forward will be those which deliver the right messages and the right mix of benefits to targeted segments of consumers with the most potential for take-up. Watch out for the winners and losers over the coming months," added Eccleson.

Although the change in VoIP awareness is undeniable, there are still a substantial proportion of adults who are unaware of the technology (41% of British adults and 36% of U.S. adults). Additionally women are far less likely to have heard of the technology than men in both countries, according to the report.