TMCnews Featured Article

With all the hype surrounding Voice over IP (VoIP), there are few left in the business world who don’t know they should at least consider the possibilities of sending voice over the data connection. Beyond the end-user focus, however, where mobile VoIP is quickly gaining ground, there is a whole world of opportunity unfolding in the wholesale VoIP market.

Wholesale VoIP

In the VoIP world at large, there is wholesale VoIP and retail VoIP. Wholesale VoIP exists in a B2B business model and customers include other VoIP service providers. Those providing the wholesale offer minutes and terminating routes to customers for multiple destinations throughout the world.

To operate, the wholesale VoIP operator has to be connected to multiple termination operators for the same destination. This ensures better quality of service, as well as redundancy in overall operations. For instance, if the wholesaler is offering termination in Italy, the provider must connect with multiple operators or vendors who have direct and quality routes to Italy in order to offer a better choice of quality parameters and rates to customers.

Retail VoIP

Retail VoIP exists within a different business model where the VoIP service provider extends capabilities to the individual consumer in a B2C model. The targeted customer may be the residential individual making long distance calls; it may be an enterprise with various employees making calls or using communications services; or it could be the non-profit reaching out to donors all over the world.

The end user leveraging retail VoIP may be making calling card calls, using a smartphone for mobile VoIP, using a callback service option, making a call from a PC or other IP device, or other options. Customers generally have access to a full suite of services that can include SMS over IP, voice calls, instant messaging, value added services, cross border mobile top-up and more. The service is generally offered through eCommerce sites or traditional distribution channels for resellers and retailers.

The point is that the demand for VoIP is growing. Those offering wholesale VoIP or retail VoIP are taking advantage of opportunities in the market that weren’t there just a few short years ago. Now that users can readily access mobile VoIP through apps and supported technology, the opportunity is even better. The key to success will always be quality calls and the customer experience as VoIP already has a strong value proposition. The key for providers to realize success will be to use the quality experience to stand out in the crowd.