VoIP attracts 34 million new subscribers

In-Stat estimates that VoIP subscribers increased by 34 million worldwide in 2006, with Europe accounting for nearly half of these.

The VoIP market in Europe showed the largest growth with 14 million new subscribers during the year, with demand driven by local loop unbundling and the introduction of cable telephony and triple-play services.

The countries with the largest number of new subscribers were France, Germany and the Netherlands.

The US lagged significantly behind Europe with just four million new VoIP subscribers in 2006.

In-Stat estimates that the US will represent only 18 per cent of the $44bn global consumer VoIP market by 2011.

In-Stat’s report, entitled “Europe Leads the Booming Consumer VoIP Market”, covers the worldwide market for VoIP and provides forecasts for global VoIP subscribers, segmented by region, through 2011.