Why regulations are so important in the world of internet telephony

At times, the sheer quantity of spam in our email boxes has looked like it could close down email communication altogether. Even with well-honed filters in place, important messages get overlooked, sincere ones are deleted, valuable ones disappear, and every so often a treacherous link is accidentally clicked with disastrous consequences.

Digital telephony is a target for similar villainies

Scam phone calls were rising before the explosion in internet telephony, and old analogue landlines were so easy to tap it’s a wonder eavesdropping wasn’t more common. However, the digital nature of VoIP creates potentials for new kinds of abuse on new kinds of scale.

An eavesdropper on a wired phone network was limited to a single target phone line, and needed physical proximity. Despite encryption, a back-door into a network’s digital telephony could potentially be used to scan thousands of calls using voice analytic software. And they could do this from a continent away.

Voice simulation software has also been making impressive progress. Imagine what a con-man could do with the voice-print of your financial director.

Self-protection

The good news is that VoIP provides users with more control over their own security than ever. You can easily set up Caller-ID to help authenticate callers, divert suspicious numbers to security trained personnel, bar nuisance callers, and block premium numbers. You can also defend yourself by recording and archiving your calls.

It is also wise to choose an international VoIP wholesale provider that delivers a unified service, encompassing origination, termination, collocation, line provisioning, network management and billing, an example being https://www.idtexpress.com/blog/2018/02/27/expect-international-voip-wholesale-provider/.

Industry protection

OFCOM’s responsibilities extend to aspects of the broadband market, but they are not specialists and have little jurisdiction over services not confined within the UK. Digital telephony is a worldwide operation and even a local call can take a route that passes beyond UK borders, through equipment operated by foreign companies.

Fortunately, new professional associations are developing to ensure VoIP providers reach the highest standards. One is the Internet Telephony Providers Association (see https://www.itspa.org.uk/). The ITSPA ensures its members are kept aware of legislation updates, new technologies and emerging threats. Their membership encompasses network operators, service providers, resellers, suppliers and industry consultants.

VoIP is currently a very safe communication medium. Choosing reputable companies in professional associations is the best way to keep it that way.

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