European Regulators’ Group want harmonised VoIP rules

VoIP call providers have in the past claimed that they are Internet services, not telecom operators, and thus not obliged to offer services like emergency calls. EU national regulators have said they have to co-operate on Internet calls as these do not follow national boundaries.

Roberto Viola, chair of the European Regulators' Group, has identified VoIP as a key area for harmonisation. He says that the pan-European potential of VoIP is prevented by the non-alignment of national regulations.

The European Union has agreed that a nomadic use of geographic number of VoIP should be allowed in Europe. This is an important change because in many member states this is not allowed. Viola is of the opinion that allowing the use of the same number via Internet in different countries would be in the interest of consumers.

Viola has reported that national regulators have also agreed that number portability should be allowed on condition that providers use the relevant numbers available.

Agreeing on these principles has not been easy because EU states had different practices on the matter.