VoIP for Service Providers

This section of the ACMA’s website provides information for organisations supplying or intending to supply VoIP service in Australia.

VoIP telephone services are provided by carriers and carriage service providers (CSPs) that use telecommunications networks (for example: ADSL, cable TV and broadband wireless) to supply communications services to the public.

It is unlikely that you will need a carrier licence unless you are installing your own transmission lines or radio facilities.

CSPs have a number of legal obligations, which are set out in the Telecommunications Act 1997 and the Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) Act 1999.

The ACMA has classified VoIP services into four types:

1. Peer to peer – internet only, calls do not use the traditional telephone network, the public switched telephone network (PSTN)
2. VoIP Out – a service where calls can be made from the VoIP network to the PSTN
3. VoIP In – a service which allow calls to be made from the PSTN to the VoIP service using a telephone number
4. Two way – a service which allows calls to be made both ways between the VoIP service and the PSTN using telephone numbers.

Generally the telecommunications regulatory framework only applies to service types 2, 3 and 4.

This section outlines these obligations and provides detailed information about:

• Emergency call service access from VoIP services
• The Integrated Public Number Database (IPND)
• service types and numbers for VoIP services
• guidelines for the 0550 number range
• applying for numbers for VoIP services
• local number portability
• legislation, codes and standards
• consumer and industry organisations
• Compliance and monitoring

These pages are intended only as a general guide and should not be regarded as a substitute for the relevant legislation and regulatory documents. You are encouraged to seek legal advice about the obligations outlined in these pages.

If you have any questions or need further information about VoIP regulation, please contact the ACMA via email: Emergency Calls or ph: +61 3 9963 6800.