India delays decision on unrestricted VoIP access

India's Parliament announced Thursday that it delayed a decision on whether or not to allow full VoIP services in the country. The government did not set a date on when it would reach a decision on unrestricted VoIP access, which has met with fierce opposition from incumbent telcos in the country.

Currently, VoIP services are allowed, but are fettered by regulations that undermine their value proposition.

The Association of Unified Service Providers of India (AUSPI) and Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) have voiced opposition to VoIP offerings, since it would threaten their traditional revenue streams. The Internet Service Providers Association of India, on the other hand, has lobbied for unrestricted VoIP access, saying it would bring prices down and increase Internet penetration in the country, both of which would benefit consumers. 

For more:
- see the Times of India article here 

Related articles
Pushing open VoIP in India
VoIP plan with free 500 minutes/month to India