VoIP was invented in Israel(1995) by a company called VocalTec. The insufficient availability of telephone and high cost lead to the foundation of VoIP.
Today, VoIP worth more than 100 billion $ worldwide.
After 3 years of invention, in 1998 VoIP calls account for less than 1% of total calls and in 2000, it accounts for 3% of total calls. By 2003, there were total 7 Billion $ revenue from VoIP. The telecom operators were struggling and thus the charge for calls were almost half.
The early days of VoIP began with the international long distance communication. The cheaper rate was the main concern over its development. This effect was seen on the telecom operators. The operators began to sustain by purchasing the VoIP from International Exchange Carriers and deployed it by offering at a cheaper rate.
In 2005, VoIP vendor, iBasis alone transacted around 7.7 Billion voip minutes. Skype , a global internet VoIP service provider, has gained over 75 million on-line subscribers in just over two and a half years, after its launch in 2003.
When VoIP took aggressive market, telecom providing POTS where loosing $10 Billion per year from 2001.
In 2000, US company AT&T , Verizona also deployed the system which are capable of supporting VoIP service.
In June 2004, Vonage, broadband service provider, say the average American phone bill is $72 a month, but vonage provides unlimited calls throughout the United States and Canada for $34.99 a month.
Telecom operators were fighting to keep their customer from cable companies.
By April 2004, Skype has 10 Million users.
In the same year, a research firm says, nearly 62% of North American businesses , have already switched to internet telephony, either entirely or in part.
By 2010,the fixed line telecom revenue may fall by 25% due to VoIP. Mean while the mobile operators loose revenue by 80%.
However, there were no Emergency call facility in VoIP. FCC takes a bold steps, saying all vendors should provide this service. At the same, VoIP was on track to exceeded $1 Billion in revenue with over 3 Million users.
According to Future Market Insights, In 2012, the corporate consumer VoIP market registered 98.9 billion subscriber, accounting for US$43.27 billion in global revenue.
It also forecast an increase to around 204.8 billion corporate consumer by 2020, accounting for US $86.20 billion in global revenue.
There are about 688 businesses in VoIP industry.