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VoIP is gradually replacing traditional phone services in business arena. Small businesses find VoIP as the most cost-effective way to communicate with their customers and clients.

 

Despite the negatives such as security issues, VoIP hosting market is witnessing tremendous growth as reflected in the growth charts of several VoIP vendors – thanks to the prevailing market conditions.

 

Dell’ (News - Alert)Oro Group predicts that IP lines will grow to almost 60 percent of small business line shipments by the year 2011, while traditional systems are expected to decline to less than 5 percent of the total market by 2011.

 

Speakeasy, a Seattle-based provider of broadband voice, data and IT service, reported 24 percent year-over-year growth in its VoIP customer base. The company recently earned three small business customers - CalibreOne, Playworks and Gorilla Tango to provide Speakeasy (News - Alert) Hosted Voice services.

 

Speakeasy claims that by using the hosted voice service, these companies are saving thousands of dollars over traditional phone service.

 

Playworks, a non-profit organization bringing safe, healthy, and inclusive play opportunities to low-income schools nationwide, could reduce their operational costs with Hosted Voice. The service was especially useful to the organization to link and operate 11 offices throughout the country with a staff of only two internal IT employees.

 

CalibreOne, an international consulting company headquartered in San Francisco, found the hosted VoIP service highly beneficial because it has to make hundreds of weekly calls to their London office.

 

Gorilla Tango, an entertainment production company in Chicago, could save at least 70 percent over traditional telephone services with Speakeasy, while taking advantage of some of the advanced features of a hosted system, officials said.

 

“It’s clear our customers are realizing tremendous value with Speakeasy Hosted voice, as evidenced by our customer growth,” said Bruce Chatterley (News - Alert), Speakeasy CEO, in a statement. “Whether it be free international long distance, or the ability to expand and grow with minimal cost and hassle, our customers have found that hosted voice gives them the features they need at a substantial savings over traditional phone services.”

 

In June, Speakeasy announced a new promotional offering under the name “cut your phone bill - not your morning coffee,” in association with Starbucks, in which it gifts Starbuck’s gift card to business customers who fax in their phone bill to determine how much they can save by switching to VoIP, TMCnet reported.

 

Through this campaign, the company plans to grab more customers by convincing them they can save up to 45 percent on their phone bill.