Ofcom angers VoIP operators with code of practice proposal

UK telecoms regulator Ofcom has angered the country’s IP telephony providers with plans to introduce a legal code of practice requiring them to warn customers about deficiencies in their services. The watchdog is concerned that users signing up for cut-price VoIP packages may not be fully aware of the limitations of such services, such as a lack of answering machine facilities or the likelihood that services would go down in the event of a power failure. Skype, one of the leading players in the VoIP market, said that Ofcom’s proposals went a step too far, claiming there is no need for such ‘super consumer protection’ and noting that similar rules are not applicable to mobile operators.