Volume II

Issue : 3: February 5, 2004

• U.S. National Cable Association Proposes Limited VoIP Regulation
• The VoIP Regulatory Debate Intensifies in Canada - TRAI Amends its Quality of Service Regulations for VoIP Long Distance Service in India
• Minnesota Judge Refuses to Reserve VoIP Decision - Panama Introduces Tax on VoIP
• Lawsuit Launched Against Credit Card Companies over Piracy of Internet Pornography
• U.S. Telemarketers Required to Identify Themselves to Consumers by Caller ID
• Federal, British Columbia and Alberta Privacy Commissioners Agree to Cooperate
• FTC Releases Report on 2003 Consumer Fraud and Identity Theft Complaints
• B.C. Court Rules Forward Looking Infra-Red Technology Does Not Constitute a Search
• RIAA Targets Individuals on Anonymous Basis - Australia Music Industry Sues ISP
• France Gets Ready to Take Action against Internet Piracy
• Canadian Company to Offer High-speed Internet Access Via Hydro Lines
• U.S. Court of Appeals Finds Formation of On-line Contract Does Not Require "I Agree"
• Ontario Court Asserts Jurisdiction Over Washington Post Based on Online Publication

Home > Volume II > Issue 3: February 5, 2004 > The VoIP Regulatory Debate Intensifies in Canada - TRAI Amends its Quality of Service Regulations for VoIP Long Distance Service in India

The VoIP Regulatory Debate Intensifies in Canada - TRAI Amends its Quality of Service Regulations for VoIP Long Distance Service in India

In Canada, Primus Canada introduced the first national Internet telephone service in January 2004, fueling the already intense regulatory debate over the rules that should regulate the market for delivering VoIP service. Bell Canada had started the process with its filing with the CRTC in November 2003, in which it also called for the CRTC to address the rules that govern VoIP. While Bell states that it merely wants clarity, Primus is concerned that Bell is seeking to increase barriers to limit or reverse competitor entry into the new market. Internet-based telephone service is cheaper and easier to provide than telephone service based on older technology, and is therefore threatening the traditional market dominance of former monopolies such as Bell. Among the many issues involved in the regulatory debate are quality of service obligations and reliable connections to 911. More communications companies, such as Call-Net Enterprises, AOL Canada and Shaw Communications, are becoming involved in this debate as they too announce their intentions to introduce VoIP service in Canada.

In India, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) amended its Quality of Service Regulations for VoIP international long distance. TRAI implemented these Regulations for VoIP technology in the international long distance network back in November 2002. At that time, the technology was in its infancy, and the Regulations fixed Quality of Service benchmarks for only two classes of service, Toll Quality and Below Toll Quality, with the condition that Below Toll Quality Service should be offered at a lower price. Now, with advances in technology, none of the international long distance providers are offering Below Toll Quality service to customers. As a result, in the amended Regulations, the Quality of Service benchmarks specify only Toll Quality Service. The Regulations also allow for a Quality of Service that is slightly below Toll Quality where an international satellite link is used to provide the service, in which case, the achievement of Toll Quality Service is not normally possible.

For a copy of the Canadian article, visit:
http://shorl.com/gatimipypryni
For a copy of the TRAI press release, visit:
http://www.trai.gov.in/press%20release-%2027th%20jan%202004.htm
For a copy of the TRAI Regulations, visit:
http://www.trai.gov.in/qos%20-%2020thjan%202004.htm