Interesting Irish perspective on Skype and VoIP:

HOW POPULAR IS Skype in Ireland? While figures aren’t officially available, the large number of immigrants and those working for technology companies would indicate that it has a sizeable number of customers already. Anecdotal information is that growth has been very fast here.

More concrete evidence comes in the form of Skype Zones - designated locations where, for a monthly fee of 6.50, you can make unlimited calls using a software download from a company called Boingo. Ireland has 56 such zones already and the service is still only in test phase. Sites include the Statoil service station in Oranmore, the upmarket Expresso Bar in Ballsbridge, Fitzpatrick Castle Hotel in Killiney, the Bord Iascaigh Mhara office in Dun Laoghaire and nightclubs such as Dublin’s Renards and the Odessa Club.

Skype isn’t alone in the market, however. Vonage offers a similar service and is very popular in the US, while both BT and Yahoo have announced VoIP services that will undercut Skype in cost.

Ian Fogg, broadband and VoIP analyst at JupiterResearch, recently told tech news website vnunews.com: “This is a very dynamic market and there is an acceptance that using the internet and the PC to make phone calls is going mainstream.”

So don’t be surprised to find someone you know Skyping, Vonaging or VoIPing in one form or another in the new year. It might even be you.