Russian lawmakers consider VoIP regulations

Russian lawmakers and a business group claim VoIP companies are causing unfair competition for domestic mobile network operators and telcos, according to a New York Times report. Members of Russia's Parliament and the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (now that doesn't sound Soviet) are considering floating a law that would ban or severely restrict VoIP companies from operating in Russia.

The union is lobbying on behalf of Russian MVNO MegaFon, one of the largest mobile network operators in the country, and it claims services like Skype should be restricted because they are foreign entities taking revenue from domestic telephony operations. A vice president of another Russian telephony player, TransTelKom, will head a panel to discuss the terms and conditions of the proposed legislation.

While the revenue loss is likely the root cause of the proposed protectionist regulation, its proponents also said VoIP companies, mentioning Skype explicitly, could pose a security threat and need to be governed more closely. The committee said it plans to release its recommendations in about two months.

For more:
- see the New York Times article here [1]