EU Investigates on Internet Call Blocking

EU Investigates on Internet Call Blocking

Some mobile operators are now blocking VOiP calls which prompted European Union regulators to conduct a probe and see if certain competition rules have been violated. EU has conducted a survey among phone companies regarding the ways they employ in controlling internet calls.


VOiP calls have grown increasingly popular due to its economic benefits. As more and more people use the technology, mobile operators also try to impede its proliferation across the web to defend voice revenue.



Carolina Milanesi, research director for mobile devices at Gartner, said, "Mobile carriers are worried about the short-term impact and the cash cannibalization on voice calls."



EU is currently "monitoring the evolution of the VoIP market," as stated by Jonathan Todd, the commission's spokesman. Though mobile carriers are against the wide usage of VOiP calls, some companies still consider it as beneficial to mobile phone firms. For one, it increases data traffic which creates a potential source of profit for the industry.