27 November 2007

A registry is to be created that could reduce businesses' phone bills by forcing VoIP providers to interconnect their networks.

The so-called Enum (from tElephone NUmber Mapping) registry is to be created by Nominet, the company that already runs the .uk registry, after it won the UK contract on Thursday. 

Currently most VoIP calls pass over the public telephone network, incurring a charge, which is often passed on to the person who makes the call. If VoIP providers connected directly with each other, there would be no additional charge.

The Enum registry could also play a major role in the convergence of traditional telephony and IP telephony, by making standard telephone numbers work for both.