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The document sets out three objectives that Ofcom believes accommodate the pace of technological change while at the same time addressing how services should be regulated to best protect consumers' interests.

The first objective is to avoid creating barriers to the development of VoIP services. In particular, Ofcom notes, the regulatory framework should not prevent different business models to enter the market. As examples it lists services aimed at providing second line as well as primary line replacements; services bundled with access (line rental); and those offering a standalone service of voice calls alone.

'Ofcom seeks to ensure that regulation is technology neutral, in order that new technologies are able to be deployed as soon as competitive forces dictate that consumers will benefit,' the consultation paper explains. 'Put another way, regulation should avoid special treatment of one technology over another.'

Secondly, Ofcom says that purchasers and users of VoIP services need to be able to understand any differences, stressing that this should include deficiencies, between the new technology and traditional PSTN phone services. It says that the features and capabilities

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of any service must be properly described including the dependency of the service on a power supply in the home and on the availability of a broadband connection. It emphasises that such an understanding is critical in relation to emergency calls.

'In the event of an emergency situation, it must be clear to the consumer and users of a VoIP service whether, and under what conditions, the VoIP service will provide 999 access to summon help. Such issues were demonstrated in the US in 2005 where a VoIP service did not offer traditional access to 911 as provided by conventional voice services and a user was both unaware and unable to quickly summon assistance as a result.'

Following on from this, the third objective is to maximise the availability of 999 services and ensure that these services are both reliable and can provide the emergency services with an accurate location of the caller. Ofcom is concerned that market forces alone will not ensure full 999 coverage.

The full Regulation of VoIP Services document can be read at www.ofcom.org.uk/consult.

Ofcom has also published its review of the UK Telephone Numbering Plan, which sets out proposed changes in six areas. These include creating a new nationwide 03 code that organisations requiring a national presence would be able to use without charging consumers a premium for contacting them; a new 06 code for personalised number services to replace 07, since consumers confuse 070 numbers with mobile numbers leading to the potential for abuse and scams; and a new number allocation system that would avoid changes to geographic numbers in the future.