An overview of the regulatory approach to VoIP

Abstract

Voice-over-IP (VoIP) is the delivery of voice over networks based wholly or partly on Internet protocol (IP). VoIP services are provided by using telecommunications networks (copper, cable and wireless) to supply VoIP services to the public. As electronic communications networks are gradually shifting to IP-based networks, VoIP services are becoming more common. This shift and the migration to next-generation networks (NGNs) increasingly make VoIP less of a complementary service/niche product and more of a real substitute to traditional telephony. In this report we focus on the regulatory challenges that must be overcome before this can become a reality.