The popularity of VoIP is grows rapidly. Voice over Internet protocol is changing the existence of conventional phones. Many PSTN or Public Switch Telephone Network is switching their phone to Voice over Internet Protocol. It makes the use of VoIP is increasing significantly. There are different legal issues coming from different countries regarding to this growth technology of mass telecommunication services.

In the United States, the Federal Communications Commission is requiring all interconnected VoIP service. The aim is to comply with traditional telecommunication services and providers. VoIP in the U.S. is required the support providers to the local number portability. The growth of this technology in U.S. is very rapid. It is because many people switching their use of PSTN and conventional phone service to it, even though VoIP is not covering the emergency phone service, such as 911 services.

On the contrary with the growth in U.S., in India and Guyana, VoIP is being prohibited. The government does not allow this technology is being use in the country. The India government is restricting the use of this technology only for the retail commercial sales only and it is only for the long distance service. In Ethiopia, it will be assuming as criminal offense if using Voice over IP. It is because the Ethiopia government is monopolized the service of telecommunication.

Japan is known as the country with high technological influence. All telephone lines are covering with the VoIP technology. Moreover, the IP telephony was being signed as the telephone numbers since 2003. Later, this IP telephony is covering the service of video phone or video conferencing services. Responding to several complaints, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications of Japan is regulating the IP telephony over Japan because telecommunication is very important in people live.

By: Dita Nadia