VoIP in Latino Community: Adoption limited by Consumers’ Lack of Information.

Many Latinos, regardless of Internet use, recognize Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service providers and positively associate VoIP with a lower telephone cost, according to a report conducted by the Tomás Rivera Policy Institute (TRPI) at the University of Southern California. However, most have not adopted the technology mainly because they do not know how it works or how to gain savings. The report, Social Impact of Voice over Internet Protocol on Latinos, shows that for communication services, VoIP adopters spend an average of 13 percent less each month than Internet connectors who do not use VoIP. In addition, VoIP calling rates, especially for international service, are often a fraction of the fees charged by conventional phone service providers; thus computer-based VoIP phone services pose a new form of market competition to traditional telecommunication services. Topics the study explores are: Latino awareness and perceptions around VoIP and Internet-based phone services. How Latinos who are online and those who are not feel about and use landline phones, cell phones, computers and the Internet. How much Latino Internet users who also use VoIP pay for communication services compared to those Latinos who do not use VoIP or are not connected to the Internet.

The report presents implications and policy recommendations to improve education, access, and research for Latinos using Internet-based telephony. VoIP technologies present an opportunity to make progress towards bridging the digital divide between Latinos and technology, as the number of VoIP subscribers grew 189%, or from 1.9 million to 5.5 million between 2005 and 2006. Author Matthew D. Matsaganis, Ph.D., said, “Providers of VoIP services are successful in whetting Latinos’ appetites for new and cheaper telecommunication services; but to help individuals and families make the leap and adopt these services, it is going to take well orchestrated efforts to educate and familiarize them with the technology. In this quest, it is critical to form partnerships, especially at the local level, among public, private and non-profit organizations.”

“VoIP could help Latino immigrants connect with their homeland families and friends at a relatively low cost,” said Harry Pachon, Ph.D., President of TRPI and Professor of Public Policy at the University of Southern California. “However”, Pachon continued, “lower rates of home computer use by Latinos negatively impact the adoption of these less costly VoIP services”.

The Tomás Rivera Policy Institute is a nonprofit, independent institution founded in 1985 specialized in the key issues that affect the Latino community, including technology, education, political participation, access to healthcare, economic well-being, mass media, and immigration. The Institute is affiliated with the School of Policy, Planning and Development at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles – with an office at Columbia University in New York.

To download report CLICK on link below:
http://www.trpi.org/PDFs/VoIP%20Report.pdf>