VoIP Adoption 1.2
Point Topic estimates at more than 5 millions the number of VoIP subscribers in Q2 2004. This estimation takes into account subscribers of the 6 leading voice over broadband providers, "where the customer plugs a telephone into the customer’s broadband modem"; and does not include Internet-only services like Skype.
Yahoo Broadband in Japan reported over 4 million VoIP subscribers, around 80% of worldwide VoIP subscribers. Helped by traditionally high telephony tariffs in Japan Yahoo Broadband boasts an impressive penetration rate of over 94% of its broadband subscribers.
The other 5 leading VoIP operators are Free (France) with 330,000 subscribers; FastWeb (Italy) with 300,000 subscribers; Vonage (USA) with 200,000; Cablevision (USA) with 115,050; B2 (Sweden) with 50,000 subscribers.
In a previous posting, the estimation of 16 M for Q3 included Skype and other Internet-only services, but didn't take Japan Yahoo Broadband, Free, FastWeb and B2 into account. If we added the 4.7 VoIP subscribers from these operators in Q2, the total estimation of VoIP adoption for Q3 2004 would be well over 20 M worldwide.
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