Asia learns to love VoIP - Stat Snap - Brief Article

Telecom Asia, Jan, 2003

Consumers and enterprises across the Asia-Pacific region are warming up to voice over IP as concerns over quality give way to a growing need for cost savings and enhanced IP applications, according to technology analyst firm IDC.

"VoIP services in Asia-Pacific have come of age and are no longer just considered as being of poor quality," said Renee Gamble, IDC's program manager for IP and broadband research. "It is now more widely accepted that VoIP can provide high-standard, budget call services and an even higher-quality in-house telephony for the enterprise."

IDC expects total VoIP services revenue for the region (excluding Japan) to grow at a CAGR of 70%--from just over $1 billion in 2001 to almost $14.3 billion in 2006, thanks mainly to China which already accounts for 75% of total regional revenues, and will account for well over 90% of the region in four years. India will be the second biggest market, though nowhere near as big as China, and nowhere close to original estimate due to regulatory curbs.