IBM Launches Voice -Over-IP Services

December 13, 2002 -- As part of its efforts to remain at the top of the network consulting market, communications company IBM said this week that it would begin offering services designed to help business customers transfer telephone calls to voice over IP networks.

The services, says the company, will help customers plan and package telephone systems, including voicemail, faxes and call-center applications, on a single Internet Protocol-based network, cutting long-distance costs and delivering online services.

IBM said it was ready for an aggressive push into the voice-over-IP market, now that businesses are more eager to cut costs, and new VoIP technology is being released. The company said its Network Consulting, Integration and Deployment Services packages is now available.

According to IBM, the company expects that IP telephony services will help the company expand its share of the network consulting and integration market.

Forecasts from research organization IDC estimate that the market for IP telephony services will grow 49 percent each year, reaching $40.9 billion in 2007.