The VoIP market is not a new market worldwide, it has already been around for 18 years. Rapid technological evolution in recent years, however, places VoIP in a new era and the expected growth is fuelled in particular by the boom in mobile technologies.
Claudio Nespeca, vice-president of the Canadian company Epik Networks, predicted that in 2014 the adoption of mobile VoIP solutions will create a new trend, as these solutions will help companies to reduce costs and create a more integrated communications system.
Globally, US companies are leading the way in the adoption of VoIP solutions, with millions of users today.
A Forbes report showed that the VoIP phenomenon shows no signs of slowing down, with the number of paying users in the US alone already exceeding 30 million. This is according to figures published by IBISWorld, which also suggests that the market will generate $15.4 billion in revenue. By 2017, the VoIP sector’s contribution to the economy is expected to grow by an average of 15.3% annually. This highlights how quickly it is growing as a daily tool for companies and how it can generate revenue. Forbes also revealed that millions of dollars have already been saved by both large and small businesses through the use of IP-based communications. There are also many options in terms of services, applications and fees, so everyone should be confident that they can get exactly what they want from VoIP.
Romania is still a nascent market, with a recent and sketchy legislation in terms of VoIP market regulation and few companies offering services dedicated to the business environment. Users have been limited to large companies or subsidiaries of foreign companies in Romania, to whom VoIP has been made available by the parent company and is limited to ensuring internal contact with the parent company.
Few small and medium sized companies are still aware of the benefits of hosted solutions and the fact that the development of cloud solutions and mobile voip is helping them, making services accessible to them that until recently were the preserve of large companies.
The year 2014 in Romania sounds promising, being the year in which all mobile operators announce nationwide 4G coverage, in which Orange launches Free Hotspot solutions throughout the network, all of which facilitate access to mobile VoIP solutions and considerably increase the quality and stability of audio transmissions for mobile VoIP calls.
