The number of British and American adults who are unfamiliar with VoIP has shrunk dramatically over the past few months, but over 50% still remain in the dark about this important communication technology, according to recent study.

The number of adults familiar with VoIP grew from 37% to 46% in the UK over the course of the last nine months. This figure grew even more noticeably in the United States, where it increased from 36% to 51%, according to survey by Harris Interactive.

There are still a lot of people, however, who haven't even heard of this highly efficient telecom technology. 41% of respondents in Britain, and 36% in the US claimed that they had never heard tell of VoIP.

As for individual companies, Vonage was the most recognized VoIP brand name in the US, while Skype and BT were neck and neck for the title in the UK. Vonage and Skype had higher brand awareness among male respondents, while men and women were equally aware of "mass market" players like BT, AOL, and Verizon.

"The entrance of more mainstream brands moves the VoIP market onto the next stage, raising the questions: Will the big players use their scale and presence to quickly establish dominance? Or will their arrival lend credibility to the market and benefit the specialists?" said Harris research drector, Derek Eccleston, in a statement.

(Originally published by TeleClick.ca on April 18, 2006)