VOIP set free in India!

Indian Telephony providers get go ahead to use VOIP.
In a significant policy change announced by Communication Minister Dayanidhi Maran on Thursday, telephone service companies (access-providers like Airtel, MTNL, BSNL, Reliance and others) can now use IP technology on their backbone networks to transact calls over the internet.
Currently, internet-based telephony is not legal within India. Users can only dial overseas phones from their PCs using internet service providers (ISPs). They cannot call normal telecom networks within the country from their PCs (this restriction will continue).
These access providers will continue to offer internet connectivity and broadband services combining voice, data and video.

The government has also done away with two separate types of data-communication licences: IP-II and IP-VPN. Existing holders of these licences -- like Powergrid, Gail, RailTel -- can now become full-fledged domestic and international long-distance service providers and will be able to directly connect with clients.

Stand-alone ISPs, like Satyam and SpectraNet, can provide only internet access and internet content services. As a consolation, their annual licence fee has been cut to 6 per cent.