The British Telecom regulatory authority, OfCom (Office of Communication) has fixed new VoIP rules today, under which the VoIP players are bound to provide comprehensive information about their services and accessibility during the emergency.
This is first major VoIP law in UK, which will come into force in the month of June. Under the new rules, the VoIP providers must give clear cut information to the customers whether they are able to provide emergency services to them or not. They should also explain whether they provide directory assistance and access to an operator. Now customers can demand itemized list calls from the service providers.
OfCom has decided to set new rules for the VoIP services in the wake increasing number of service providers rely on powered router for net connections for their IP telephony services if power supplies are cut off. Obviously, BT is an exceptional case since it enables customers to make both landline and VoIP calls on a same phone, which does not require power supply.
VoIP is growing in UK. As per the latest market survey, the county will have more than 3 million VoIP customers by the end of this year. Therefore, it is high time for OfCom to set standard rules and regulations for the better services to the customers.
