US justice officials want to tap VOIP

The US Justice Department has asked federal regulators to delay setting rules for carrying phone calls over Internet connections until a way can be found to monitor those conversations.

The FBI made the request in a letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the interests of law enforcement and national security.

Associated Press reports the FCC is looking at how to regulate voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP). The technology allows users to transmit calls through high-speed Internet connections, with some systems allowing users to bypass the conventional telephone network.

Law enforcement officials are concerned the new technology will prevent them from listening to calls the way they can now wiretap conventional phones. However, some privacy advocates say they are concerned that VOIP taps may also pick up e-mail and other data sent over the same Internet connection.

Online services for Microsoft`s Xbox game console and Sony`s PlayStation 2 have created the first major consumer application for VOIP service, enabling thousands of hours of daily chat for online gamers, reports ZDNet.

The report says although this application is far removed from the business and home installations seen as the major market for VOIP services, online gaming is providing valuable early information about how to deliver such services cheaply and effectively.

More than 750 000 customers access Microsoft`s Xbox Live and every Xbox Live game includes broad voice chat capabilities. Sony made voice chat an option when it introduced online games for the PS2.

ZDNet says VOIP is not just for playing games and estimates there are about 2.5 million US residents making phone calls via the Internet. Synergy Research Group believes that by 2005, more than half of all telephone calls will be Internet-based as major carriers switch to the technology.