Ofcom to encourage the development of new voice services
6 September 2004
Ofcom today published its approach to new voice services, including Voice
over Broadband (VoB) phone services which deliver calls over the internet
rather than via traditional telephone networks.
Ofcom believes that the emergence of these services will offer important
benefits to consumers. Call costs should reduce significantly; where a
call connects from one VoB service to another, the only cost to the consumer
is typically a standard monthly fee, regardless as to whether the call
is to the next town or to the other side of the world.
New voice services also offer consumers the prospect of innovative features
currently the preserve of large corporations, such as sophisticated call
handling and messaging, multi-party conference calls and video calls.
Additionally, the comparatively low cost of the technology required means
that the barriers to entry for new companies are lower than those in traditional
switched-circuit telephony. Ofcom believes that those advantages, coupled
with increasing competition in the wholesale broadband market, are likely
to mean that consumers will benefit from
the choice of a wide range of providers.
Ofcom's approach is intended to minimise the regulatory burden associated
with the creation and delivery of new voice services whilst ensuring that
providers benefit from fair and effective competition in the infrastructure
markets upon which they will depend.
Ofcom has therefore today:
* Set out the telephone numbering available for new voice
services, allowing providers to:
- Offer their customers geographic phone numbers
(beginning with 01 or 02), making it easier to switch from a traditional
service to a VoB service, for example, without having to change telephone
number.
- Offer their customers a non-geographic phone number
beginning with a new code, 056, which would not be linked to any location
and could be used anywhere in the country.
* Published a consumer guide to new voice services, granted a Crystal
Mark by the Plain English Campaign.
* Begun a public consultation on the appropriate level of
consumer protection measures which should apply to new voice services.
Traditional fixed-line telephony services comply with regulatory conditions
stipulating near-guaranteed access to essential services such as 999.
The consultation asks to what extent these requirements
would be proportionate and appropriate in the case of internet-based voice
services and how consumers should be informed of the new services' capabilities.
The consultation will close on Monday 15 November 2004.
Ofcom Chief Executive, Stephen Carter said: "Broadband voice services
are a new and emerging market. Our first task as regulator is to keep
out of the way."
He added: "As the market develops, we will ensure that consumers
are appropriately informed and protected."
For more details see www.ofcom.org.uk
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