B.T.L . tries to stop VOIP; P.U.C. will hold hearings

And in news that may not go down well with a growing group of consumers, it appears that a showdown is looming in the telecommunications industry. The dispute involves BTL’s decision to curtail use of VOIP–that’s voice over internet protocol–which allows people to use services like Vonage or Skype to make international calls for pennies per minute. Word from telecom experts indicates that BTL has been experimenting with various anti-VOIP technologies over the last several months and fears that the growth in the cheap internet based phone systems will hurt its lucrative business in overseas calls. The matter should come to a head on April twenty-sixth when the Public Utilities Commission will hold a hearing on the subject. Proponents of the bargain phone systems are hoping for a large turnout to overcome BTL’s expected argument that high international rates are necessary to subsidize low cost local calls and the extension of service to unprofitable rural communities.