Blocking VoIP on Mobile

Is blocking VoIP over mobile a feasible business strategy? On the one hand, VoIP threatens to undermine the voice revenues of mobile networks, and they have legitimate business reasons to protect their investment. Hence why Vodafone blocks VoIP. On the other hand, there are plenty of businesses that would gain from opening up networks to VoIP, which is why Skype will use any pro-competition statute to try to force liberalisation. But the issue really comes down to whether customers care enough to want VoIP, and are willing to change to a network that supports services like Skype. Some will, some won’t. But assuming people who start to use VoIP never want to go back to a service without it, consumer pressure will eventually force networks to open up to be competitive. The only judgment call is the tipping point: when blocking VoIP to increase revenues is worth less than the loss of customers to rival networks.