Communiqué de presse

ART initiates discussions on IP telephony

28 January 1999

The appearance of Internet telephony offers and the development of voice transmission services using Internet technologies might at first glance be thought to threaten the telecommunications market which might, in the long term, bring into question the separation of data and voice services and their respective legal frameworks.

Autorité de régulation des telecommunications (ART) considers that the way in which the stakes of IP telephony are perceived in the medium and long term justify major discussions.

This is why it is initiating discussions on these changes by launching a public call for comments.

  • ART first plans to survey Internet telephony

ART invites telecommunications, computing and multimedia players as well as users to contribute, by expressing their opinions on the following topics:

- the reality and the range of observed developments - technical, economic, social and regulatory prospects - measures which could be taken to ensure these offers contribute to the fluidity of the telecommunications market

  • A prospective and international approach

The questions primarily deal with the following:

- service definition, its range and lifespan, architectures used, quality, standardisation - economic aspects of the offer: costs, players, break with previous models, distribution of profits - development of services and markets - compatibility with existing regulatory frameworks

Responses must be submitted via e-mail, fax or post by 13 March 1999 at 12:00 noon.