IP PBX Sales Outstrip Traditional PBXs For First Time

Shipments of IP PBX lines will exceed those of traditional PBX lines this year, according to a new report by In-Stat.The report found that as the total PBX market grows by a compound annual rate of 6.6% through 2009, the IP PBX will gain momentum as the traditional PBX declines. A significant reason for this, the report says, is the increased mobility within and beyond the workplace offered by IP PBXs. Many IP PBXs currently include voice with presence and instant messaging, and in the future will include more data and ultimately video as well. With these changes, IP PBX will go from 9.5 million lines to 28.1 million in 2009, representing 91% of the total PBX shipment, the report concludes.

According to a statement by In-Stat analyst Norm Bogen, "The IP PBX is revealing itself as more than a simple one-for-one replacement vehicle for digital systems. With closer ties to data, this new vehicle is influencing corporate power structures and will ultimately have even more far-reaching effects on how business is done around the globe."