The Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) industry in the UK is growing strongly, although there is still much room for further expansion.

According to Eli Katz of the Internet Telephony Services Providers Association (ITSPA), "VoIP in the UK is growing strongly".

Ofcome figures show that there are now more than a million active VoIP users in the UK, with uptake expected to grow futher.

"Ofcom's recent statistics indicate two to three times growth…just in the past year," said Mr Katz. "That's the good news. The challenging news is that overall as a penetration in the UK, we're quite far behind a number of European countries."

He added that broadband penetration among small businesses was one of the key drivers of the technology, and that most private branch exchanges (PBXs) that are now being sold include IP functionality.

Mobility and advanced voice mail systems are among the benefits that VoIP provides, Mr Katz said.

Meanwhile, eMarketer found that VoIP uptake has been driven by intense competition and pricing policies.

According to recent survey by Connect, the two biggest IT headaches for businesses were 'everyday hassles with IT' (37 per cent) and 'security concerns' (32 per cent)