A report from the analyst group, Forrester, says existing VoIP players need to “radically improve” customer experience of the technology if it is to succeed with mainstream users.

Forrester suggests that consumers choose VoIP over traditional solutions because it offers a low-cost alternative which Telcos cannot beat. It adds that while web-based VoIP solutions have attracted tech savvy consumers, in order to also attract mainstream consumers VoIP vendors have to radically improve the customer experience as this is the main VoIP differentiator.

The analyst looks at how well Europe’s top five VoIP players – Google Talk, ICQ, Skype, Yahoo! Messenger, and Windows Live Messenger — score on user experience.

“Telcos and mobile operators have to face the VoIP challenge,” said Zayera Kahn, Forrester analyst and author of the VoIP best practices report. “With so many usability and technology issues facing mainstream consumers using current VoIP vendors, telcos have a great window of opportunity to capture the non tech-savvy crowds. Being the current provider of communication to these consumers, they have the edge.”

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