Voice over internet protocol (VOIP) technology will help bring about the end of the traditional home telephone as the appeal of new fixed-mobile telephone services grows in Europe, according to JupiterResearch, which reports that some 27 percent of Western European* consumers are already interested in regularly using their mobile phone in place of their home telephone, and VOIP will increase that proportion, Jupiter says.

Location will cease to be important for either making or receiving telephone calls, according to two new Jupiter reports, "Independent Internet Telephony - Build Consumer VoIP Propositions on Services, Not Just on Price," and "The Instant Messaging Presence Platform."

"VOIP will convert the home telephone from analog to digital, and once digital, the home telephone number will become unfixed. It will no longer only be available just at home, but also in the office, in internet cafes, and even on mobile phones," said Ian Fogg, lead author on the reports and senior analyst at JupiterResearch. "VOIP telephony is attractive to consumers because services are digital, cheap, and flexible."

As telephony providers launch new VoIP services, consumers will be able to take their home telephone number with them wherever they go and make calls, or listen to messages. PC-based VOIP telephony already appeals to 17 percent of consumers in Europe. Also, 21 percent are interested in diverting their home telephone to a mobile phone to answer calls while away from home.

*UK, France, Germany, Sweden, Spain and Italy