Regulators consider the future of VoIP

The report, entitled IP Voice and Associated Convergent Services, is addressed to national regulatory authorities and governments. It considers the transition from existing circuit-switched public switched telephone network ("PTSN") to IP-based services and discusses the regulatory, technological, economic and structural implications.

In summary, the report's key findings and recommendations are as follows:

• A transition to IP voice and associated convergent services is taking place. The NRF (New Regulatory Framework) is suitable for handling this transition, but it would be best to address a number of issues before they become significant blocks to future market development.
• The most significant issue is whether -- and under what circumstances -- VoIP is classified as PATS (Publicly Available Telephony Service) (with all the attendant obligations, of which the most important are access to emergency services and network integrity). Early clarification of the policy in this area would prevent confusion amongst service providers and between member states.
• Location and emergency access is an issue that requires clarification. It may not be possible to provide the location of a caller making an emergency call using VoIP; how users are made aware of this or what other steps are needed to provide such location information are matters that merit further consideration.
• VoIP services may not be as robust as the existing PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) voice service. The degree to which a network carrying voice calls is expected to be available may need further consideration, especially as any relaxation of requirements could have greater implications in the long run, as more and more voice is carried over IP networks.
• The existing national numbering plans could prove wholly inadequate if VoIP users (and hence service providers) require large numbers of geographic and other types of numbers. The NRAs should consider the implications of such a development now, as numbering requires relatively long-term planning.
• VoIP makes it possible to provide domestic or EU-wide voice services (or components of those services) from other countries. We recommend that the member states and the NRAs explicitly consider whether this merits any change to current policy."

Next steps
The European Commission is seeking written responses to the Analysys study by the end of April, and is then expected to publish some guidelines explaining how the new regulatory framework should be applied in this area.

The UK communications regulator Ofcom held its own discussion group at the end of February to identify and address key issues relating to VoB and is considering forming a working group, to help develop appropriate consumer protection guidelines.

The precise time scale for the shift from conventional telephony to IP-based services -- be it 10, 20 or 50 years -- is still far from certain. What is clear, however, is that this is a critical issue not only for regulators and for broadband providers, but also for end-users who will need to factor the transition into equipment upgrade cycles.