Dave Gee: Life from Right Field

VoIP services like Skype are seen as the main threat to revenues from fixed line phone operators, according to a new survey.

Fixed-line and wireless service providers are being encouraged to build up new revenue streams, with telecom executives predicting voice calls to drastically decline over the next six years, as Voice over Internet Protocol services (VOIP) become more common.

VOIP or Internet telephony allows both home and business users to make phone calls over the internet or similar IP network.

Companies like Cisco are offering businesses IP Telephony systems which can save them big money on their phone costs, by combining all office and mobile calling, tele-conferencing, and other communications services into a unified network that is cheaper and more productive.