VoIP is no threat, says BT

The emergence of useable voice-over-IP (VoIP) services, which let individuals and companies make phone calls over the Internet -- in many cases for free -- is not a threat to BT but an opportunity, said the telco on Monday. Speaking at the Voice over IP Forum in London's Le Meridien Hotel, John Blake, head of hosted IP services at BT Global Services, said that although there is a "dichotomy" for BT, which will involve some cannibalisation of existing services, the company has an aggressive VoIP plan.