Reported on Wed, 12 Apr 2006

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the UK could save over £1 billion by switching to modern communications systems, claims a new study – and a business loan could allow smaller firms to make significant investments in the latest technology.

Research by service provider Inclarity found that only one in ten small businesses in the country has migrated to using voice over internet telephony (VoIP) systems, which allow users to make calls via their internet connections.

These select few who had invested in the new technology reported that they had cut telecoms costs by a quarter and IT bills by one-tenth.

Inclarity claims that SMEs could collectively save £434 on their telecoms bills and £566 on their IT spending by using VoIP, but a major stumbling block could be the fact that three-quarters of small business managers have limited or no knowledge about VoIP.

Paul Anthony Beaumont, chief operation officer for Inclarity, said: "SMEs can't possibly be equipped to drive more efficient operations without fully understanding the technology options available to them. It would be like cutting bread with a spoon."

Mr Beaumont added: "It's up to service providers to educate the market as to the benefits of VoIP, for the good of the UK economy. Not only does it cut company communications overheads, but VoIP also enables staff to work flexibly through remote working and use more effective voicemail and presence options."

New technology and the latest telecoms equipment can be expensive, but a business loan could help smaller firms to afford these cost-cutting systems.

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