The first thing to understand is that some aspects of VoIP are regulated and others are not. The regulation applies when VoIP calls are connected to existing PSTN networks, allowing you to make and receive calls from regular phones. This ensures that traditional service providers are compensated correctly for using greece telegram their infrastructure. It also ensures that VoIP service providers meet certain standards for receiving their calls on PSTN networks. For example, the E911 standard for emergency calls and the E.164 standard for number allocation. This also means that you can expect a level of call quality that is equivalent or close to that of PSTN service.
If IP calls are made exclusively within the Internet – when it is computer to computer or IP phone to IP phone – then it does not need to be regulated. Therefore, the quality and reliability may not be as good as with regulated services. Also, users of the service will likely have a more limited set of features available.
Some providers span the gap between these two fields, and this is where you need to be careful when signing up for a service. VoIP providers may have different levels of IP connectivity in different parts of the world, so you need to understand what you are getting when you sign a contract.
VoIP restrictions
Not all countries in the world have the same level of personal freedom, and this applies equally to VoIP services. In some regions, the use of VoIP services may be restricted or even prohibited altogether.
In the West, VoIP has generally become accepted due to its lower cost and the fact that the technology has matured to the point where call quality is nearly equal to PSTN systems . However, in less developed countries, markets remain closed to VoIP, often to protect the monopoly position of government-owned telephony providers.
Currently, VoIP is somewhat restricted in China, parts of Africa and the Middle East, and parts of South and Central America. So if your business involves calling these areas, you need to be fully aware of the implications. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) publishes data on restriction levels around the world. VoIP service providers should also be able to advise you of any international calling restrictions you may face when subscribing to their service.