U.S. Residential VoIP Services 2005-2009 Forecast and Analysis: Miles to Go Before We Sleep

This IDC study examines the current state of residential VoIP and its prospects for future growth and the ways that growth will find specific and viable expression in the current telecom market for U.S. consumers — riddled as it is with other related and nonrelated complexities. The study also examines how the key drivers shaping the market, including increased broadband penetration, will help speed of the adoption of all consumer VoIP services.

The United States–based residential market for VoIP has become an object of intense industry scrutiny, primarily as a result of two major events: the runaway success of Vonage in selling voice over broadband (VoB) services and the full-bore entry of AT&T into this segment and ongoing development efforts by cable multiple system operators (MSOs). But even with the remarkable developments of the last year, residential VoIP has a long way to go before it achieves anything like critical mass juxtaposed against the preponderance of time-division multiplexing (TDM)–based services.

"VoIP must prove that it is more than just a cheap replacement for plain old telephone service (POTs)," said Will Stofega, senior analyst for IDC's VoIP Services program.