The Australian Communications Industry Forum (ACIF) is hosting the telecommunications industry's forum on Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).
The invitation-only event will be held on Monday, December 13 in Sydney, and is designed to give carriers and service providers, vendors, government agencies and consumer groups a forum to discuss the legal, technical and regulatory issues surrounding VoIP.
Anne Hurley, chief executive officer of the ACIF, will chair the event.
Hurley said the ACIF is bringing together market competitors to ensure affordability and interconnectivity of VoIP hardware and services. "Our view is that the current regulatory framework will probably cope with VoIP services, but it may need to be self-regulatory and we may need to make amendments," Hurley said.
"We have developed codes in the networking and technical space for interoperability and connectivity and codes for consumer protection, but this forum is related more to the current mobile and analogue environment.
"The amendments for interoperability are not technical but cultural, and there is now the situation where established carriers will be providing services on par with VoIP providers and start-ups. The forum aims to bring all players together."
Hurley said the forum is not a product showcase for vendors but a way for the IT industry to educate consumers and business on VoIP.
Presentations will be made on specific issues relating to VoIP, including numbering, quality of service, emergency call services and customer service guarantees.
For more information at www.acif.org.au.