Ofcom to update VoIP guidance

Ofcom, is consulting on its approach to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services. The consultation aims to update interim guidance issued by Ofcom on 6 September 2004. The key proposals are: (i) to discontinue Ofcom�s interim forbearance policy for VoIP services (as introduced in the 2004 consultation) to ensure compliance with Community obligations under the relevant European Community directives; (ii) to withdraw the Essential Requirements Guidelines given the inappropriate nature of these guidelines for VoIP services and for NGNs; (iii) to establish guidelines on how Ofcom will investigate potential contraventions of obligations in relation to network reliability and emergency calls, to aid transparency and understanding of the requirements and increase the incentive for VoIP services to offer 999 access ; (iv) to discontinue Ofcom�s interim policy for number portability (as introduced in the 2004 consultation); that allowed a communications provider to restrict number portability to those PATS providers who were not complying with PATS obligations under the interim forbearance policy; (v) to modify General Condition 18 to clarify the availability of number portability rights to consumers of services using receive only geographic and non-geographic numbers and increase the incentive for VoIP services to offer 999 access; (vi) to specify the information that providers must offer their customers to ensure customers are well informed of the capability of VoIP services and a proposal to modify General Condition 14 to mandate this code in respect of certain providers; (vii) a planned approach to encourage and enforce the maximum level of compliance by providers of VoIP services; and, (viii) a planned approach to monitoring and reviewing so that as the market and technology develops regulation can be quickly adapted to meet consumers needs continue to be met particularly the need to maintain widespread availability of high quality 999 access. Comments are requested by 3 May 2006. Ofcom expects, at present, to make a statement on these aspects in August 2006.