Irish companies will increase their IT budgets in 2006 due to the increasing integration of internet services and telecoms, according to a leading IT consultant.
Research by iReach market consultants shows that telecoms are now seen on equal terms as hardware and software as a building block of ICT infrastructure.
The research also found that investmnet will be driven by the new 'one-stop-shop' approach to selling ICT.
According to Brian Foley, research analyst and author of the report, "We have found that, in the eyes of technology decision makers, the borders between IT and Telecommunications no longer exists.
"With the merger of companies like BT Ireland with Cara and Eircom's launch of Total ICT, we are seeing a change in the ICT market that we predict will herald a watershed year for ICT Spending in Ireland."