Nominet promises VoIP savings with Enum system

Nominet's electronic numbering system translates telephone numbers into domain names

Nominet has launched a new telephone number mapping system designed to allow businesses, customers and suppliers to save money on VoIP calls.

The .co.uk registrar said that traditional VoIP services mean that, even if both caller and receiver are using VoIP, they will incur charges because the call has to be routed out over the traditional PSTN.

However, electronic numbering (Enum) translates telephone numbers into domain names, which means that the call can be routed over the internet. Calls are therefore completely free, as long as both caller and receiver are using the system.

"There is a Domain Name System database look-up which will tell you who's calling and what protocols they need to follow, and then the call is routed out over the internet so that there are no call charges," said Phil Kingsland, Nominet's director of marketing.

"The primary benefit is cost savings, but there are also people in the space interested in developing applications around Enum which could potentially bring it to a broader audience."

The service could initially be of most benefit to networked businesses, such as those with large supply chains or multiple sites, because the system requires both caller and receiver to be registered with Enum in order to benefit from the full cost savings, said Kingsland.

In addition, smaller companies could offer customers an Enum to dial for customer service issues, thereby allowing them to call for free.