UK and Germany top European VPN study

NEWS More than half of all UK corporations plan to deploy virtual private networks (VPNs) in the next two years, according to a study out today by Infonetics Research. The study found that as the availability of DSL (digital subscriber line) technology increases in both Germany and the UK, more companies will look at deploying VPNs. The survey showed by 2001, 55 per cent of UK respondents and 40 per cent of German respondents will have done so. Peter Crowcombe, Infonetics research director, believes some deployment will be at the expense of traditional leased lines. However, as high-bandwidth DSL emerges and prices lower, smaller sites will also opt for VPNs. Crowcombe added that while French corporates are less enthusiastic than their UK or German counterparts about the take-up of VPNs, they are more likely to deploy fully converged voice and data networks by 2001.