VoIP Infrastructure Boosts Role in Vendor Sales

VoIP systems are likely to account for 27% of Mexican network infrastructure providers' sales this year, up from 15-18% in 2006, Laura Zavala of local tech consultancy Select told BNamericas.

At the end of the first half 13% of the country's 10mn corporate lines were running over VoIP platforms, according to Select.

Zavala estimates that sales of VoIP hardware - including line extensions, IP PBXs and hybrid PBXs - will amount to US$818mn, up 15% on 2006, and growing at the same rate over the next few years to US$1.24bn in 2010.

Government institutions account for 32% of VoIP system sales and SMEs account for about 20%.

Technology supplier Avaya expects demand in the public sector to remain strong due to a recent government norm forcing state institutions to reduce IT spending - the so-called austerity decree, local daily Reforma quoted Avaya country manager Rafael Fernández as saying.

Fernández also expects the SME sector to continue strong as it is going through a growth phase and large corporations will continue to migrate their branches to this technology.

Zavala believes it is up to the telcos to stimulate VoIP migration by offering packages and financing alternatives to small companies, Reforma reported. To this end, Avaya is in talks with Telmex to create packages for companies that require up to 50 extensions.

Posted to the site on 14th November 2007