> I am curious how Japan does this, but the island size and > density makes the whole argument different to some extent. So, > how's it work under the wise rule of NHK/MTT ??? That'd be MPHPT at http://www.soumu.go.jp/ see http://www.itu.int/osg/spu/newslog/2003/09/03.html#a172, particularly the Japan talk (sorry Powerpoint) which explains how they're allocating telephone numbers to IP terminal devices and the policy considerations they're working on (e.g., quality, interconnection, emergency services, etc.).... The uptake in VOIP in Japan has been driven by the success of cheap/fast broadband (see http://www.itu.int/osg/spu/newslog/2003/07/21.html#a72 for background explanation). In Japan, consumer broadband prices per Mbit/s are about 35 times cheaper than the US. For example, you can buy 100 Mbps of residential FTTH from USEN for about US$ 49.00 a month. Many countries have moved beyond the regulatory debates that characterize the US very-much sector-specific regulatory framework. There are a number of indications the landscape is changing rapidly in the US too (see http://www.itu.int/osg/spu/newslog/categories/voip/2003/08/22.html#a159) Bob -- Robert Shaw <robert.shaw@itu.int> ITU Internet Strategy and Policy Advisor Strategy and Policy Unit <http://www.itu.int/spu/>