Israel to Permit Trials of VoIP over Wi-Fi

Israel to Permit Trials of VoIP over Wi-Fi

Israel's Ministry of Communications has granted a special license for conducting a marketing experiment to examine the provision of domestic fixed telephony services using VoIP via Wi-Fi hotspots.

Under the terms of the license, the VoIP service is provided using mobile end equipment, including Wi-Fi interface, and the service is to some degree an alternative to the cellular service, in delimited areas having Wi-Fi hotspots such as airport terminals, coffee shops, hotels, shopping malls etc.

The experiment will examine, among other things, the participants' motivation to use the service, as well as operational and marketing aspects involved.

Last week, the Ministry of Communications published a consultation on amending the wireless LAN policy draft on hotspot telephony.  

Mr. Mordechai Mordechai, Ministry of Communications' Director General, said: "The Ministry of communications will continue to encourage the use of innovative technologies that increase competition and cheapen costs for consumers".