SOURCE.: CCK's revamped website:. http://www.cck.go.ke/html/news.asp?newsid=132 <http://www.cck.go.ke/html/news.asp?newsid=132&area=new> &area=new 10-August-05 CCK issues guidelines on provision of VOIP services The Commission has issued guidelines on the provision of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services in Kenya. Releasing the guidelines today, CCK Director-General Eng. John Waweru said the guidelines had incorporated stakeholder views gathered during a two-month public consultation process carried out early this year. The Commission also carried out an international benchmark on the situation obtaining in selected countries and in different parts of the world. The Director-General said the guidelines would be published in the Kenya Gazette on 12th of this month in keeping with statutory requirements to provide a 60-day period within which stakeholders and the public could make representations to the Commission on the guidelines. The new guidelines allow: . Registered telecentres and cyber cafes connected to licensed ISPs to commercially provide VoIP services to end-users. ISPs shall on quarterly basis file returns to the Commission, indicating the details of connected cyber cafes and telecentres, in terms of bandwidth provided, utilization and connected number of terminals. . Corporate organizations and other closed user groups to utilize VoIP for interconnectivity between branch offices using telecommunication networks of licensed operators, without seeking a separate licence from the Commission. However, VoIP users in this category shall be required to type approve their equipment and install call logging capabilities within their equipment. Corporate organizations using this service are prohibited from providing the same to third parties. . Licensed national operators to use Internet Protocol (IP) or managed VoIP backbones or networks in place of the existing Public Switched Telecommunications Network (PSTN). For interconnection to the IP network, the user's terminal equipment will be normally connected via a VoIP gateway. This type of VoIP shall require no further licensing and can be deployed by licensed national operators. The existing requirements contained in the licences of these operators shall remain applicable. . Licensed network operators to facilitate the provision of voice services over the public internet utilizing publicly available infrastructure including dial up and leased lines or access networks. Network operators shall be required to submit details and specifications of the proposed gateway to the Commission for approval. Exchange of voice traffic between operators shall be governed by the existing regulations of interconnection, and the existing licence conditions including quality of service requirements contained in the respective licences of these operators shall remain applicable. Eng. Waweru said network operators and service providers who may wish to provide VoIP services will be required to meet certain obligations such as provision of emergency services, universal service, quality of service requirements, and billing accuracy. They will also be required to subscribe to the national numbering plan as prescribed by the Commission, and to avoid engaging in anti-competitive and unfair trading practices that may distort a level playing field. The Director-General said the guidelines were in line with the draft ICT policy, and were geared towards further liberalization of the ICT sector. He said the expiry of Telkom Kenya's exclusivity had witnessed the issuing of 39 licences in various categories including local loop, private data network, commercial VSAT, and Internet backbone and gateway operators. Click here to view the Director-General's full press statement Click here to view the guidelines on provision of VoIP services. Click here to view the published comments on the consultative process