German court bans iPhone VOIP

A German court has sided with wireless carrier T-Mobile and banned the use of voice over Internet Protocol on Apple's iPhone, says CBC News.

The Higher Regional Court of Hamburg issued an injunction on Thursday preventing the download of an application called "Sipgate", which allows iPhone owners to place calls over the device's Internet connection rather than over T-Mobile's cellphone network. Users could then make free calls from wherever there is a WiFi connection, saving themselves airtime, which they must pay T-Mobile for.

The court said the application, which was in beta test phase, would lead users to "jailbreak" their iPhones.

Providers of Internet telephony must now allow emergency 999 calls over their networks or face the risk of enforcement action, regulator Ofcom has said, reports Out-law.com.

Caller location information must also be provided where technically feasible.

The new law affects businesses such as BT, Vonage and Skype that offer services that connect VOIP calls to the public telephone network.

Canada's second-largest telephone operator, Telus, has won a $7 million contract to provide the City of Vancouver with an IP-based telephone system and contact centre services, states Teleclick.

Telus has agreed to supply, install, and provide support services for the city's new VOIP system, which will link City Hall with police, fire services, and other local government departments.

Telus says the phone system will be deployed over the next three years.