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VoIP technology, as
a component of Internet Protocol (IP) services, has been catching on
all over the world in the past few years and is expediting the
technological convergence of networks and services with data and
images. The possibility of lowering final costs to a level comparable
with traditional telephony is another strong incentive for adopting
it.
With that in mind,
PCC.I decided to consider the topic and arranged for a study to be
carried out of VoIP Features with the participation, via the
Electronic Forum of CITEL, of interested Administrations and Associate
Members. That study is due to be completed by the beginning of the
second semester, this year.
Today few doubt
that the trend in the networks and services field is toward adoption
of the IP protocol at the network level. What is not yet fully
determined is how to make the transition and when the
best moment to do so is for each player, given the numerous factors
involved in the choice of path to take and the right time to take it
for both countries and operators. Furthermore, it is worth bearing in
mind that there are different ways of carrying VoIP packages (VON, IP
telephony, telephony via Internet) and that not all of them yield the
same results in terms of quality, security, and costs.
It is well known that, per se, IP v4
does not guarantee quality service, although all over the world
studies are being carried out and mechanisms developed to fix the
problem. In contrast, the new IP v6 will bring a major improvement in
both quality and security.
Under these circumstances, VoIP
technology is initially being developed preferably in controlled broad
band environments such as the operators’ trunking public network or in
a virtual private network (VPN) and gradually extended to access
networks. In other words, although there are good reasons (costs,
innovation) that make voice over IP technology attractive, some
aspects need to be solved before it is deployed on a massive scale or
begin replacing conventional telephony in all applications.
VoIP may also provide traditional
public telephony operators a novel opportunity to expand their range
of services by offering users a variety of services with differing
qualities and costs.
All of which goes to show that
services using the IP protocol, especially VoIP, will clearly play a
part in shaping the future of the sector, as they are in a position to
increase competition, stimulate new and innovative services, and lower
operating costs.
The very fact that there are
different ways of carrying voice over IP already constitutes a
concern, prompting adjustments to the regulation in order to address
the new challenges facing the sector in the countries of the region,
especially the need to recoup the investment in infrastructure made
mostly over the past few years.
The resulting new regulatory
framework should contemplate incentives for the development of broad
band services based on technological neutrality, while guaranteeing
equal and nondiscriminatory treatment for all market players, be they
new or established operators, so that all have an incentive to serve
users.
Eduardo Gabelloni
Rapporteur
Study Question IV: NGN Services
Working Group on Advanced Network
Technologies and Services
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Additional Information: The Working Groups on
Advanced Network Technologies and Services
and on Economic Aspects and Tariff
Principles are preparing a joint report
on Voice over IP. The first draft will be available after the V
meeting of PCC.I.
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