Small and medium-sized firms across Europe are tightening their belts when it comes to IT spending, but are still investing in security and VoIP technologies, according to new research.

IDC reports that, in addition to security, IT investments tend to focus on cost efficiencies given the uncertain economic outlook.

The optimisation of IT infrastructure, including server and storage consolidation, system virtualisation, VoIP, storage area networks and network-attached storage, is also a key way of gaining efficiencies for SMEs.

IDC's European Vertical Market survey said that SMEs, especially mid-market companies, have been "rather dynamic" in terms of the uptake of new technologies.

Adoption has been increasing alongside a greater awareness of what the IT market offers, and voice and data convergence has started to grow in acceptance.

"Service providers wanting to make the most of market opportunities in the SME space must focus their marketing campaign on reduced costs and, more importantly, reduced complexity," said Nina Bonagura, a senior research analyst at IDC.

"However, underlining the impact that VoIP has on overall productivity, it is crucial to build on longer-term success.''

IDC's research shows that over a quarter of SMEs already deploy some kind of VoIP solution and another 17.6 per cent expect to introduce one in the next 12 months.