Stuart Corner
Saturday, 20 December 2008 11:56
IT Policy -
Government Tech Policy
Page 1 of 2
If you live out the back of Wup-Wup and want a CBD phone number that's no problem with today's VoIP services but the ACMA says that geographic phone numbers should reflect the location of the service to which they relate. It's also unhappy with a number of other aspects of telephone numbering for VoIP services and is canvassing changing the rules.
The ACMA has issued a
discussion paper seeking industry input on:
- The best way to provide numbering support for VoIP Out services;
- Clarification of the rules regarding the use of geographic numbers; - Improved transparency when telephone numbers are moved between carriage service providers, and several related issues.
The ACMA has been researching the provision of VoIP services and says it found that "Many VoIP providers issue geographic numbers to a customer for a location other than the geographic location of the customer's service."
Its research also suggested that some VoIP providers were not complying with other regulatory requirements such as the provision of number portability, providing access to emergency call service and updating the Integrated Public Number Database: the central national repository containing details of all phone numbers, which performs a number of key roles.
The ACMA says that accuracy of location information relating to geographic numbers is important because it allows telcos to whom the untimed local call obligation applies to charge correctly (because charging is based on the location of the number rather than the location of the service); and it provides information to the consumers regarding the geographic location of the called phone service, the cost of the call and the type of service being called.
The ACMA says it has undertaken research which shows that, since 1991 "Australians have not changed the level of importance (very important or somewhat important) they attached to telephone numbers giving a guide to the cost of call, identifying area or location of person or business being called or number prefixes indicating type."
The ACMA says that, as a last resort it could consider withdrawing phone numbers from telcos that continue to breach the rules regarding the use of geographic numbers.
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