EC Consults On VoIP Regulation

by Ulrika Lomas, for LawAndTax-News.com, Brussels

30 July 2004

The European Commission has launched a consultation on the way forward for the regulation of internet telephony or Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services, it emerged recently.

Under the EU regulatory framework, players are free to enter the market for electronic communications services without prior authorisation, provided they abide by the conditions set out in the general authorisation applicable in each Member State.

The general authorisation sets out rights and obligations for the providers of publicly available electronic communications networks and services, assigning additional rights and obligations to providers of publicly available telephone services and to those providers that have universal service obligations.

The consultation document released last month explains the conditions that apply to these different types of services, and argues that the degree to which a provider of VoIP based services will face obligations under the EU framework depends on the type of service offered.

According to the EC:

"One of the aspects where VoIP differs from a traditional telephone service is the fact that users can be nomadic and use their terminal device at different locations. This gives rise to a number of new issues in relation to the provision of emergency services, and the document calls on market players to work together to find solutions. Issues of service availability also need to be addressed."

It went on to add that:

"The continued uptake of VoIP services may have a substantial impact on the interconnect models of the traditional PSTN environment. The availability of geographic and nongeographic numbers will also be important to the success of VoIP services. This document seeks comments on these and related issues and, in order to focus the debate, sets out proposed positions in a number of areas."

Comment is invited until the end of August.

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