This article about overseas carriers blocking voip calls is worth a read.

http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/oct05/1846

Edited by Dave: Link corrected

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This article about overseas carriers blocking voip calls is worth a read

Here is another one that has a similar vein.

[url=www.advancedpipeline.com/news/171000567[/url]]www.advancedpipeline.com/news/171000567[/url]

It is quite apparent that the unlimited use of VoIP has a doomed life! Incumbent telcos are just not going to turn over and go 'belly-up' After all, look at the misrepresentation, mis-selling and totally unethical approach taken by BT to the 0870/0845 scam!

I wonder if BT have plans similar to those discussed here for their 'next generation VoIP network'. Use OUR VoIP system or we will block your packets..... >:(

Afater all, they do a pretty good job now. What percentage of UK calls are terminated on a NGN? 30%? 40%? 50%? It has to be somewhere in that region. That is equivalent to blocking them - or at least making you pay their tariff rate. BT doesn't even have to buy the hardware or software mentioned in these articles. Ofcom does it for them - free of charge (well, that's if you ignore the underhand payouts - aka 'pension plans' or job opportunities for retiring Ofcom directors, etc - that BT obviously give to Ofcom to maintain the cosy relationship! A small price to pay.) So much for free choice......

VoIP has been around for years - as has other cheap calling methods such as calling cards and call-back etc...

Some countries such as Saudi Arabia and Pakistan always try and protect their state monopoly of telecoms by attempting to block such services. This has gone on for a long time.

But it's one thing for a country or individual ISP to attempt to block VoIP - but quite another for the web itself to block VoIP. The web is open and free; and thousands of large corporations route web calls internally via the net.

There have been attempts in the USA by ISP's to block VoIP calls - but the FCC has come down on them like a ton of bricks:

http://www.tmcnet.com/tmcnet/articles/2005/voip-call-blocking-fcc-madison-river-vonage-penalty.htm

Yes, there is no reason why an ISP in the UK can refuse to allow VoIP calls - but they would soon be out of business as users would just switch ISP.

Capitalism will take it's course... countries that block VoIP will suffer economic hardship that outweighs the extra revenue their state telecoms carriers make.

Plus with VoIP encryption it is possible to circumvent VoIP blocking as the status of the packets themselves is disguised. Plus it is possible using simple techniques to overcoming port-blocking:

http://www.hotspotvpn.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=137

But what WILL happen is that telcos will totally revamp their entire networks to move over to IP for voice; data; video etc... Plus local and international cabling will be upgraded to allow very high-speed net connection for movie and video streaming etc...

BT are in the first stage of this with a £10 billion upgrade of part of their system to IP.

And yes - us the consumer will pay for that in the end. And why not?

If you're worried about the huge sums the telcos will make then I suggest you by some shares in them!

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If you're worried about the huge sums the telcos will make then I suggest you buy some shares in them!

...and here's the rub. As a consumer, I want the cheapest possible phone calls. I don't want to be ripped off paying over the top to make calls that should be cheap (aka 0870 / 0845). However as a Telco shareholder (yes, I already am .... but not BT - my conscience wouldn't allow that - I do have some moral scruples  ;D ), I want my shares to increase in value and to be paid big dividends.

Welcome to capitalism!

Another interesting comment about how VoIP should reduce call costs.

http://www.networkingpipeline.com/blog/archives/2005/10/ebay_ceo_skype.html

Specifically about Skype - but probably valid for other providers in an evolving market.

BUT...realise that these comments ONLY refer to those administrations where there is a strong regulator that supports the consumer. Once again, the 0870 / 0845 NGN scam in the UK will completely distort and negate any possible saving for UK consumers. Indeed, Skype calls that terminate on UK NGN are even more expensive than being placed through other providers.

C'mon Ofcom - we know you read these forums. Get off your backsides; divorce the cosy relationship with your BT Masters; do what you were set up to do and give the British consumer the flexibility and competition that the rest of the western world is enjoying!

I have posted this elsewhere on this forum...

The beauty of VoIP is that consumers will start to get used to paying NOTHING for calls. Not only to their friends - but to enterprising companies as well.

And just like all companies are expected to have a website and email; soon the public will expect they have VoIP address' as well.

So then the contrast for the consumer will not be "standard rate UK call" vs "0870 rip-off price". But rather FREE call vs PAID call. The 0870 issue (not really understood by the UK public) will then become a secondary issue; as the consumer will be unwilling to pay for ANY call to a company.

But some sort of premium rate calling plan will be devised for VoIP I'm sure.