Government advised against heavy-handed interceptions on VoIP

The government should exert caution when considering new interceptions regulations for VoIP communications networks, a leading organisation claims.

UK intelligence agencies have reportedly been indicating that VoIP communications are difficult to monitor, which has led to a forthcoming Home Office consultation programme.

London-based Cellcrypt has called on the government to follow the lead of US regulators by adopting a hands-off approach to the technology as it evolves.

Simon Bransfield-Garth, the firm's chief executive, told the Register: "The US's pragmatic approach is the only one that stacks up."

"It's not today a mass market technology, but there will come a point where you'll be remiss not to have voice encryption," he added.

The European Union (EU) has launched a new investigation into the potential for monitoring criminal communications over VoIP.

Italy is leading the EU's Judicial Cooperation Unit, or Eurojust, which will analyse how arms and drug traffickers are using internet telephony.