VOIP Blocking Alive & Well

Reports about VOIP traffic being blocked by network operators are becoming more common in wake of Telmex customers complaining their telephony service is being degraded. In the United Arab Emirates, Internet users are complaining they have been unable to access Skype.com to buy SkypeOut minutes. The culprit seems to be Etisalat, the UAE's only ISP. In the U.S., there have been reports that Vonage's service is being blocked by Clearwire, while Madison River was fined $15K by the FCC after Vonage filed a complaint. In Canada, the major broadband operators have promised the CRTC they will not engage in this kind of nefarious activity.
Earlier this month, Vonage CEO Jeff Citron said he wants a broadband bill of rights to give consumers the right to access any service or application they want. While it is a self-serving approach, he makes a very good point about a troubling situation.