The Internet Protocol (IP) phone market is actually a tale of two drastically different markets -- business and consumer -- with the former thriving and the latter diverging in a drastically different direction, according to the latest study by In-Stat.
By 2012, 31 million voice-centric business IP phones will ship. However, the consumer side of the market is radically different. Among voice-centric IP phones, businesses will outpace consumers more than ten to one.
The nascent consumer market for voice-centric IP phones is being subjugated by the introduction of IP media phones, such as the Verizon Hub and AT&T HomeManager that support both IP communications, as well as delivery of Internet information and multimedia content.
IP-based communication is replacing TDM networks at a steady pace in the workplace, but adoption is slow among consumers. Even where Voice over IP (VoIP) is being used in the home, many consumers don't realize it because IP-based cable voice services are marketed as traditional PSTN voice offerings, supported by traditional analog telephones.
"Within the business market, corded IP phones remain the standard, and will continue to dominate the enterprise IP phone market through 2012," says Norm Bogen, In-Stat analyst. "However, WLAN and IP DECT phones continue to grow, especially within some specific vertical and geographical markets."
In-Stat's market study found the following:
- Cisco, Avaya, and Nortel are leading the market for enterprise IP phones.
- Wi-Fi integration in cellular phones is growing rapidly; however, the majority of Wi-Fi/cellular phones are not designed for VoIP.
- Uniden holds top market share for consumer IP corded phones.
