Network Computing is part of the Informa Tech Division of Informa PLC

This site is operated by a business or businesses owned by Informa PLC and all copyright resides with them. Informa PLC's registered office is 5 Howick Place, London SW1P 1WG. Registered in England and Wales. Number 8860726.

The Feds Must Protect VoIP

VoIP is not only the wave of the future for enterprises and consumers -- it's already here today in a big way, as the success of Vonage and Skype, which just signed up its millionth paid customer, shows.

But in the dog-eat-dog world of networking and telecom services, not everyone plays fair. And unless the feds crack down on unscrupulous service providers, VoIP could be in for trouble.

What's the problem? Service providers have been blocking VoIP traffic from Vonage so that their subscribers can't use the Vonage VoIP service for phone calls. The reason is simple: The service providers offer telephone service, and so they want to strangle their competition.

More than one service provider has done this. Several weeks ago, the FCC fined a North Carolina provider $15,000 for blocking Vonage.

More recently, Vonage was blocked again, allegedly by a cable company that also provides Internet services.

  • 1