Smartphone users opt for VoIP and instant messaging apps

Smartphone users opt for VoIP and instant messaging apps

A growing number of smartphone users in Europe and the US are opting to use instant messaging apps and VoIP instead of the text and voice minutes services offered by their provider.

The results of the study by Analysys Mason could suggest that it won’t be long until people opt against mobile contracts and simply invest in a phone instead. Some 20 per cent of those who use mobile VoIP solutions said they make calls over the internet more than they use the minutes supplied by their mobile operator.

The most popular instant messaging app was WhatsApp, which 20 percent of the study respondents used. The most commonly used VoIP service, however, was Skype, which was used by 79 per cent of mobile VoIP users.

The report’s co-author, Stephen Sale, explained, “As more people use VoIP as their primary voice service, the danger for mobile operators is that they become relegated to providing secondary voice services , picking up the 30-40 per cent of calls from users contacting people outside their core calling circle.

“If this occurs widely, operators’ roles will be marginalised.”

The key to being able to use VoIP, however, is having good internet connectivity in the home or in your place of business. Leased lines can be a solution for those who are struggling to obtain fast internet connections.

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