It is predicted that in under 5 years time, the market for Softphones will have reached almost two hundred million dollars, accounting for volume sales of almost three million units. Whereas this figure would have been unbelievable just a couple of years ago, it has been made possible by one factor; the rise of Voip.
But what is is this ‘Softphone’ of which i hear you speak? Well, in its simplest terms it is not actually a phone at all – but can be thought of as being a piece of software which enables you to turn your computer into a phone and make calls via your internet connection.
A softphone can take many forms, but most replicate the appearance of a real telephone handset, with commands being entered through either the keyboard or an onscreen interface. Conversations can then be conducted through either a headset with a built in mic, with a microphone and the computer’s speakers or via a USB phone.
But whilst Softphones may not yet be up there with the likes of mobile or desktop phones, there are areas in which they are way ahead of the competition, areas such as the enterprise space.
The highest rates of Softphone adoption currently taking place are in call centres, where the ability to eliminate wired hardware requirements, conserve space, increase mobility and substantially reduce call costs – especially long distance – offer benefits that are impossible to ignore.
Mobile workers make up another key sector of the marketplace, with Softphones enabling companies to keep in touch with their workers wherever they may be at any time. Simply by plugging their phones into any internet connection they can immediately log into company resources through remote access points, keeping them constantly updated with all latest developments.
Although the USA is currently (according to the latest published findings) the largest Softphone market, its growth has slowed of late, and the fastest growing market is now that of Asia-Pacific, accounting for the fastest growth rate in both volume sales and revenue.
But the most important thing with all Voip technology is, and will continue to be, the quality of service given to you by your Voip provider to ensure that you remain connected, protected and backed up against all eventualities all of the time. So when choosing a Voip provider make sure you do your research first.
Saul Saresi writes regularly about the world of Voip practices and technology cloud pbx More information about Voip can be found on his site Voipdito voip for business
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