EU Investigating Mobile Operators Over Blocking of VoIP Services

The European Union is looking at whether blocks on VoIP service by Europe's mobile phone operators might breach competition laws. The European Commission, the EU antitrust authority has sent letters to each of the mobile phone operators asking them what actions, if any, they take to affect internet based voice calls.

The deadline for responding to the letter was yesterday - reports the International Herald Tribune

Several phone operators have clauses in their contracts which either block VoIP services over their 3G networks, or exclude VoIP traffic from monthly data bundles included with the tariffs. Some operators have also tried to block the VoIP over Wi-Fi capabilities in some handsets.

The commission "is closely monitoring the evolution of the VoIP market," Jonathan Todd, a spokesman for the European Commission, said without elaborating.

KPN is reported as permiting the use of VoIP on its mobile networks, saying that blocking the service would be counterproductive, while Hutchison 3G sells phones designed specifically to work with the Skype service.

Last year, VoIP provider, TruePhone threatened to sue Vodafone after the operator was alleged to be blocking calls over its VoIP network.

On the web: International Herald Tribune

Posted to the site on 12th November 2008