VoIP and the law: An overview
The United States has some laws and restrictions on the books that pertain to VoIP, but more are likely on the way. Deb Shinder offers an overview of legislation that affects VoIP services and discusses what the future may bring. In many respects, the Internet has been the last frontier of freedom. In a world where governments increasingly control more and more aspects of our lives, cyberspace was the one “place” where one could come and go without being subject to much regulation.
http://articles.techrepublic.com.com/5100-1035_11-6169960.html

VoIP phreakers establish thriving black market
Telephone systems hackers have established a thriving black market in reselling stolen VoIP minutes. Hackers are breaking into gateway servers used to connect a carrier’s phone network to the internet and reselling this access to smaller, unscrupulous operators, sometimes via web-based wholesale minutes markets. Wholesale purchasers of the purloined access are often small telco operations who resell access to ordinary punters via printed phone cards.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/03/22/voip_fraud/

us: Appeals court: VoIP to stay free of state regulation
The FCC’s decision to exempt VoIP services from most state regulation was upheld today by a federal appeals court — good news for VoIP operators like Vonage but a disappointment to states that want to exert greater control over the technology.
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070321-appeals-court-voip-to-stay-free-of-state-regulation.html

Integration is key to effective VoIP
We seem to be well along the way to converging our voice and data networks, utilising VoIP. As we bring everything together and allow a single group of techies to look after the voice and data, surely we will achieve efficiency and effectiveness gains?
http://www.computerweekly.com/Articles/2007/03/15/222430/integration-is-key-to-effective-voip.htm

Regulation of VOIP services in the European Union
In order to encourage competition between Internet carriers of telephone traffic and traditional telephone the European Commission favors an EU-wide light touch approach to VoIP services. The European Commission launched a consultation on the treatment of Voice over VoIP services under the EU regulatory framework. Based on the conclusions reached in this consultation, the European Commission expressed its intention to promote the development of VoIP services rather than develop detailed guidelines for VoIP. Moreover, VoIP providers often face difficulties to provide guaranteed access to emergency services due to technical limitations. However, rather than impose strict obligations, the European Commission has encouraged market players to collaborate on possible solutions for the provision of emergency access services.
http://www.ibls.com/internet_law_news_portal_view.aspx?s=articles&id=1E181FF9-9B49-4C77-9700-FC3DB5E6F3E4

Convergence promises to slash voice bills
Fixed-mobile convergence, combined with VoIP, will allow corporate customers to slash their voice telephony bills by over a third, experts predict. A new Analysys report warned that mobile network operators in particular will have to work hard to arrest the decline in enterprise voice revenues in the face of technology that can allow companies to bypass more expensive services.
http://www.infomaticsonline.co.uk/vnunet/news/2185031/convergence-promises-slash

Microsoft predicts VoIP call charges will plummet
The average cost of a VoIP service for business will fall by 50 per cent in three years, a senior Microsoft executive predicted.
http://www.itnews.com.au/newsstory.aspx?CIaNID=47144

Wireless VoIP Threatens Telco Business
The combination of wireless and Internet calling will force traditional mobile-phone companies to adapt as sales of dual-mode handsets rise, a report says. Traditional phone operators will be forced to change their approach as wireless VoIP technology surges over the next few years, say analysts.
http://businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/feb2007/gb20070228_763163.htm

Regulation of VOIP Services in the United Kingdom
The proliferation of VoIP services has impacted the UK communication market over the last five years. VoIP services deliver significant consumer benefit through reducing the cost of delivering existing telecommunications services. Since the development of VoIP services is still in its infancy, the future development of these services and technology is, at present, unclear.
http://www.ibls.com/internet_law_news_portal_view.aspx?s=latestnews&id=1695

Residential VoIP users to hit 267m by 2012
Global residential VoIP services will attract 267 million subscribers in 2012, a huge jump from the 38 million users registered last year, new research from ABI Research has predicted.
http://www.infomaticsonline.co.uk/vnunet/news/2173954/267-residential-voip-users