The Norwegian regulatory authority NPT has issued a consultation document with regard to VoIP. It contains questions on generally the same issues as have been addressed by consultations in EU Member States, but goes further.

The following topics are discussed in the document:

• Legal classification of VoIP
• Use of the national and international number plan
• Emergency calls
• Lawful interception
• Quality issues
• Security aspects
• End-user rights
• Competition issues

The last subsection of the document is of particular interest, as it raises questions surrounding economic (including tariff) regulation.

NPT asks, amongst others, whether the fixed incumbent operator Telenor, as and when it offers IP-telephony as a publicly available telephone service, should be obliged to offer interconnection to IP telephony at cost-oriented rates. In addition, NPT asks which cost base should be used in such a scenario, and what the consequences would be for other operators and for end-users.

The full text (in Norwegian only) of the 25-page consultation document can be accessed by clicking here.

The deadline for responding to the NPT consultation is 11 Nov 2004.