Certain radio frequencies around the country are dedicated towards local use, but these frequencies are not always used up. These gaps in the spectrum are called “white spaces,” and there are many, including Google, who feel that these frequencies can be used to broadcast WiFi Internet connections.

Currently, Google is testing this idea out in South Africa’s urban and rural areas, with hopes that a successful test could sway the opinions of the FCC regulators back home.

Recently, disputes erupted in Gambia and the UAE over the legality of VoIP, and legislators have taken actions to restrict or remove VoIP access countrywide. The actions of these countries’ governments bring to light some interesting questions about the status of VoIP, and how it should be handled across national and international boundaries.