The threat from VoIP is accelerating, and telcos should be worried, but there is still time to put strategies in place to avert a disaster"The way out of this situation is to deploy IP networks as quickly as possible and compete with a basket of SIP-based services," says TelecomView's Cox. "What people want is a range of low-cost services which are integrated and allows them to escalate from voice to video to presence to instant messaging at the click of a button." For operators developing this sort of service strategy, time is not on their side. BT's all-IP 21st Century Network is not due for completion until 2009, but that is still too soon for some alternative operators. There's a small window for other players now before completion of 21CN, says Lucy Woods, chief executive of Viatel. "Let's hope they're delayed by a couple of years!" All calls will be on VoIP by 2009, she adds.