Monday, September 12, 2005

Something I missed

A mega-uber value reader writes in to alert me to something I missed last month. United Internet's H1 results release may not have made mention of specific VoIP user numbers (I estimated 420k), but the press release from its retail internet arm, 1&1, did (albeit in German only), revealing more than 500k subs. That's about a 40% take rate on voice among its DSL subscribers. I believe the rate for Freenet might be higher, due to its earlier and higher profile launch. We might be looking at 1m users on just these two networks alone.

UPDATE: A Gold Circle value reader responds urging me to check the wording (my German is rubbish) - the company claims to have connected 500k numbers, not subscribers. He continues:

"In the absence of naked DSL they provide an IAD to connect both VOIP and landlines and then register their customers' landline numbers. A typical residential subscriber ordering DSL these days already has an ISDN line which comes with 3 to 10 numbers. They then chip in another 4 numbers per subscriber. Makes a total 7 to 14 numbers per subscriber."

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