VoIP at the crossroads: A critical overview of feasible European regulatory models

Abstract

After some previous commercial failures, VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) is returning to the foreground. The importance of the success of VoIP is obvious, especially when one considers the boost it represents to broadband technologies. However, the progress of VoIP is conditioned by the regulatory framework designed for it. This article reviews the evolution of VoIP. It then studies the circumstances required for it to replace traditional telephony, both from the demand and supply perspectives. Finally, it analyses five main VoIP development scenarios that represent an adjustment of the specific regulatory intervention in basic issues such as interconnection, numbering, operator obligations and user rights.