The idea that innovations in technology can make our lives easier is readily accepted. After all, we no longer have to sit at home and wait for anything other than the cable guy. Phone (News - Alert) calls can be taken on the go, information can be accessed from anywhere and transactions can be completed either in a store or on a bus.

The next natural point of focus is cost – how do we leverage these newer innovations while saving money and staying connected. The answer, in so far as IP communications are concerned, is in the VoIP switch, and for those in Australia, it’s becoming a popular trend. According to a review of the growing market for VoIP conducted by CHOICE, 51.2 percent of those in the country now use VoIP to make calls.

One of the biggest drivers in this trend is the significant cost savings users experience when they no longer have to pay for landline installation and connectivity fees. Consumers are getting fed up with the high costs incurred whether they made a call or not. And, as call quality has significantly improved for conversations taking place across the VoIP switch, the demand is growing for an experience now considered superior to the landline.

Interestingly, the current quality standards and safeguards that tend to govern traditional landline services do not apply to VoIP products. These standards tend to establish minimum benchmarks around dropped calls, interference, volume, echo and other aspects that users tend to take for granted on a traditional landline.

The difference in the VoIP environment is that providers are held to a higher standard by their competitors. With a variety of offerings from companies like Skype, Fring and Viber, consumers are rapidly jumping on board. Plus, Apple’s FaceTime, Google (News - Alert) Hangouts and PennyMobile Pro are also claiming a stake in the growing market for VoIP.

The biggest reason for this growth is the significant cost difference. CHOICE found that in many instances, a two-minute Skype (News - Alert) call from Australia to New Zealand or the UK was more than six times cheaper than a traditional provider. This is a considerable price difference, especially for those who make these calls often.

Tom Godfrey, head of media at CHOICE, the consumer watchdog, told Lifehacker Australia: "While there are a number of variables that can compromise reception including Internet congestion, call quality for users of VoIP has improved, with the Australian Communication and Media Authority claiming VoIP reception can now be superior to landlines."

With just over half of the population using VoIP, there is still considerable opportunity in the Australian market to secure additional users. As more turn to smartphones to stay connected, the demand may focus more on mobile apps than standard providers like Skype and Viber. The key here, however, is that consumers have choices and they can spend their money where they choose based on value, cost and experience – the way the market was originally designed.