Investigation of IP based telephony and and other electronic communications services - PTS-ER-2006:15

03/04/2006

The National Post and Telecom Agency (PTS) was assigned by the Government in October 2005 to investigate the possibility of reaching the emergency number 112 with IP telephony and other relevant electronic communications. This assignment also includes a description of the development of telephony services, with particular focus on IP telephony from a consumer, competition and security perspective.

IP-based telephony started to be used during the 90s, but it is only in recent years that the growth in subscribers has taken off in the consumer market. IP-based telephony is a technology to relay communication. There are several different kinds of service within this group. In order to understand the differences between the various kinds of IP-based telephony more clearly, the following divisions have been made:

A – Fixed IP-based telephony
B – Nomadic IP-based telephony with emergency calls
C – Nomadic IP-based telephony without emergency calls
D – Internet telephony without the possibility to make calls to ordinary telephone numbers

The use of IP-based telephony by households and the business market is increasing. By the end of 2005, it was estimated that the number of subscriptions for IP-based telephony in Sweden amounted to approximately 200 000 excluding services that do not allow calls to ordinary telephone numbers.

IP technology provides an opportunity for increased competition and an increased diversity of products and services. New stakeholders are given an opportunity to establish themselves within the market. It is in most cases less expensive to make calls abroad and calls to the fixed telephone network in Sweden with IP-based telephony than with traditional fixed telephony. For calls to mobiles, it is the termination prices in the mobile networks that govern the price level and thereby the prices become approximately the same as from traditional fixed telephony. For subscribers, there are not only great differences in the price in relation to traditional telephone subscriptions, but also between the various kinds of IP-based services. In order to be able to use IP-based telephony, the enduser must have access to broadband. The rollout of broadband is consequently an important precondition for the emergence of IP-based telephony. There are a number of different access networks that can offer broadband access in Sweden. Besides TeliaSonera’s access network, it is currently primarily cable television networks and LAN that are used for broadband access. Today, virtually all households can be reached by TeliaSonera’s access network, which cannot however offer broadband to everyone, while approximately 60 per cent of households are reached by cable television networks and LAN. In densely populated areas, the three infrastructures overlap to a large extent, while large parts of Sweden’s households and businesses are only reached by TeliaSonera’s access network. The fact that the preconditions for competition vary can result in differences in access to services and an increase in prices between various areas of Sweden.

Security and the use of IP-based telephony depend upon which form of IP-based telephony the user has. It can generally be said that a traditional telephone is very simple and cannot be harmed by viruses or violated. IP-based telephony is however exposed to similar risks and threats as a computer connected to a network.

Wiretapping in IP-based telephony is effected basically in the same way as wiretapping in traditional telephony. The party wiretapping the call must be located at a place where it is possible to distinguish a unique end-user in order to wiretap a specific call, for example a switching station or a common network segment.

Approximately 3.8 million calls are made every year to the emergency number 112. Approximately 65 to 70 per cent of these come from mobile telephones and only approximately 1 per cent from IP-based telephones. Consequently, there is currently a comparatively small number of calls from IP-based telephones and most of these come from fixed IP-based telephony.

There are several different issues regarding the opportunities of reaching the emergency number 112. With some IP-based calls to the emergency number, problems may arise with certain forms of IP-based telephony with which the enduser makes calls. Fixed IP-based telephony has similar functions as fixed traditional telephony, i.e. the user can reach the emergency number, be routed to the correct emergency (SOS) services centre and be positioned. However, in the case of calls from nomadic IP-based telephony, there is a risk that the service supplier does not provide a possibility to reach the emergency number 112, or that the call is routed to the wrong emergency (SOS) services centre with a consequent delay in providing the aid required. It is currently common that nomadic IP telephony users enter details themselves of where they are located and that routing to the emergency (SOS) services centre is effected on the basis of this information. If the user forgets to update these details when he is located elsewhere, there is consequently a risk of an error in routing.

Calls from users of mobile telephones are currently connected to the right emergency (SOS) services centre as the routing is based on which base station the mobile has contact with. However, the calls cannot be positioned. In Sweden, it is estimated that the positioning of emergency calls from mobile telephones could save up to 120 lives per year. The EU Commission has recommended that all Member States introduce positioning of mobile calls. The mobile operators and SOS Alarm have commenced this work and it will be implemented during 2006, provided that SOS Alarm receives the funds from the government to implement the work.

There are several categories of people with some form of disability. Many of these cannot call the emergency number 112 with an ordinary telephone. It is therefore necessary that the alarm to the emergency number can be effected in various ways. PTS has implemented and plans to implement various projects that make it possible to alarm the emergency number 112 in alternative ways. For example, tests with SMS to the emergency number have been implemented by PTS and SOS Alarm. PTS has a positive view on the permanent establishment of such a service.

There are several activities in progress within the area of emergency calls, among other things revision of the regulations for the relaying of emergency calls and the production of new regulations on good functionality and technical security. In addition to this, PTS and the mobile operators are reviewing the possibilities of finding a solution for crisis roaming within mobile telephone networks. It is estimated that such a system could be completed during 2006. PTS and Svenska Kraftnät are conducting several collaboration programmes together between providers of electronic communications networks/services and electricity supply network operators. The aim of this is to create the preconditions for efficient reinstatement work in the event of power and telecom interruptions.

A large part of the problem with certain kinds of IP-based telephony and emergency calls can be minimised by enhancing the awareness of end-users about which service they are buying. PTS considers that service suppliers must inform end-users in a clear and simple way of any restrictions regarding emergency calls that are associated with the service. PTS intends to produce a recommendation about what kinds of information the authority considers that the service suppliers should provide to end-users. PTS is also working with the information channels under the control of the authority in order to provide end-users with better and clearer information about what restrictions different telephony solutions have regarding emergency calls.

Set against the background of the formulation of the underlying EC Directives, it is not possible at present to require by reference to the Electronic Communications Act (EkomL) that all service suppliers relay emergency calls. The regulations actually basically leave an opening which in principle affords an opportunity for service suppliers to choose whether or not they wish to belong to the category of stakeholders that have a public obligation to relay emergency calls. PTS considers that this is inappropriate and is therefore submitting a proposal for an amendment of the EC Directive in question.