Source: snapvoip.blogspot.com

DUBLIN, Ireland–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Research and Markets has announced the addition of “VoIP Consumer Retail Offers” to their offering.

VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) experienced a first period of hype during the late 1990s but available bandwidth and speech quality were such that faith in VoIP was quickly lost. Then, roughly from 2002 onwards, as broadband via DSL or cable became more widely available, VoIP was the subject of a second hype wave. Only this time there was more to the hype, and Skype, the epitome of VoIP, was launched in August 2003 and has been downloaded around 196 million times up to this day.

Questions to be answered

- What is the regulator’s position regarding VoIP and how is regulation impacting VoIP potential and the shaping of VoIP services?

- What are the main types of VoIP providers and what is their strategy; which business model do they follow?

- How are the VoIP services positioned and marketed (bundle, add-on or stand alone)? What are the sales arguments used?

- Which VoIP end–user equipment (software and hardware) is required? How are the services realised?

- Which technologies and protocols are used?

- Are there still some reliability and quality issues? Is that impacting the usage development and market potential?

- What are the pricing strategies (set-up fees, monthly subscriptions, flat rates or just “pay as you use”)?

- Is VoIP really much lower cost than traditional fixed telephony?

- What is the current level of usage, what is the market potential, what are the forecasts?

Who should buy this report?

VoIP providers (telecom operators, CaTV operators, ISPs, pure VoIP providers etc.)

Reference document for strategic planning such as understanding market drivers and obstacles, identifying opportunities and threats etc.

Benchmark tool to identify best practices in order to improve and develop VoIP services.

Regulators

Evaluation of the impact of VoIP on the overall telecom market (new entrants, competition level etc.).

Benchmark tool regarding specific VoIP-related regulatory issues: bitstream access and naked DSL, use of geographic numbers for VoIP, specific VoIP number range etc.

Manufacturers

Market overview as regards the current demand level and usage development.

Benchmark tool regarding most successful technologies in operation, equipment used, features used, technical limitations, etc.

Investors and analysts

Understanding the range of VoIP business models and strategies and their impact within the global ICT market. Assessing more accurately the VoIP market potential and the associated opportunities and threats.

Country coverage

Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.

Regulation impact on VoIP potential and the shaping of VoIP services

- Classification of VoIP as PATS

- Access to emergency services

- ULL, bitstream and naked DSL

- VoIP numbering (geographic numbers, specific VoIP number range etc.)

Overview of the VoIP providers and their business model

- Number of VoIP providers

- Type of VoIP providers

- Main VoIP providers and their strategy/positioning

- Incumbent’s offer and strategy

Analysis of service characteristics

- Service positioning: bundle, add-on, stand-alone

- End-user equipment

- SIP and other protocols

- Quality of Service

- Access to emergency services

- Available VoIP numbers - Associated extra services: CLIP, call waiting, call transfer, video telephony, instant messaging

Pricing analysis

- Initial and equipment fees

- Tariff plans: monthly subscriptions, only by usage, packages of minutes and flat rates

- Call pricing structure: call units, set-up charges, peak/off-peak, price levels etc.

- Price comparison between VoIP and PSTN

- Payment method

Assessment of market potential and forecasts

- Market drivers and obstacles

- Usage development: total number of VoIP customers and as a share of broadband subscribers, VoIP traffic, other usage trends (usage frequency, call destinations etc.)

- Forecasts

VoIP providers coverage

Alice (Telecom Italia), AOL, Belgacom, Bluewin (Swisscom), Bredbandsbolaget, BT, Cablecom, ComHem, Eircom, Elisa, Fastweb, Free (Iliad), Freenet, Indigo Networks (sipgate), Inode, Ipon, Jajah, KPN, Neuf Cegetel, Orange (France Telecom), Peoplecall, Portugal Telecom, Skype, TDC, Tele2, Telefónica, Telekom Austria, Telenor, Telia Sonera, Telio, T-Home/T-Online (Deutsche Telekom), Tiscali, United Internet (1&1, GMX, Web.de), UPC, Vonage – and others.

For more information, visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c80073