Mobile phone giants accused of 'crippling' free voice start-up

A telecoms row has broken out after a fledgling start-up provider of free voice calls over the internet accused mobile phone giants of crippling its service.

Truphone, which was launched in September, is claiming that Vodafone and Orange have released a version of the Nokia N95 mobile phone handset with its VoIP capability disabled.

VoIP, (Voice over Internet Protocol) routes conversations over the internet. Companies such as Truphone allow customers to download free software on to their mobile phones that will enable them to make cheaper, or in some cases free, phone calls by using a WiFi network. This allows customers to make calls without having to pay their usual network provider, who most likely also provided an expensive phone as part of the contract.

James Tagg, chief executive of Truphone, said that he would take the matter to European regulators if it were not resolved.

Customers started complaining about 10 days ago when they realised they could not use the Truphone VoIP system with their Nokia N95 handsets, he said.

"Operators have annoyed customers by blocking this functionality on their phones," he said. "We need a level playing field where we can compete fairly."

However, Orange and Vodafone have hit back at the claims and insisted they had not disabled the function as an attack on Truphone or other VoIP providers.

A spokesman for Orange said VoIP had been disabled to avoid confusion for customers as it was a new function that had not been properly tested.

Vodafone said it does not currently offer VoIP as such a service would require "an end-to-end customer experience, billing integration and customer service support which is currently not available".

"Vodafone believes that VOIP over mobile is not yet a mature service proposition and an experience that our customers would want to be exposed to," a spokesman said. "Vodafone feels responsible to protect the customer from unexpected charges and potential "bill shock" asscociated with unintended data service usage."

John Tysoe, managing director of the telecoms analysis firm Mobile World, said the real issue was whether mobile phone companies should be obliged to provide a service which would affect their own products. "The answer must be no," he said.