But even as CALEA compliance gets underway, the bigger question remains: Will VOIP providers be subject to additional government telecommunications regulations?

This week, Sonus Networks announced a partnership with Verint Systems to provide VOIP carriers with the technology for lawful intercept, otherwise known as wiretapping.

Sonus IP Multimedia Subsystem VOIP middleware will incorporate Verint's Star-Gate Communications Interception Solution.

The deal will mean that providers can listen in and record all calls and collect data, such as which number keys were pressed during a call, as well as numbers calling and called.

In an FCC notice sent out last summer about CALEA compliance, the Commission'''' called VOIP services a replacement for conventional telecommunications services.