By Sharla Sikes

With mobile VoIP getting closer to a product that works for everyday use, at least in the United Kingdom and across Europe, cellular phone providers might be getting a little worried. Lawsuits have flown, including a new one between Truphone and T-Mobile.

UK-based Truphone was granted a preliminary injunction July 19 forcing T-Mobile to carry its calls. Truphone has what it calls “interconnect agreements” with all other mobile service providers. T-Mobile refused to pay the fees Truphone demanded, but has offered to pay it lower fees. Truphone says T-Mobile is “is preventing it from being successful in the marketplace,” and in June filed an unlawful abuse claim in London. A High Court judge decreed T-Mobile may not block Truphone calls, but can pay the lower fees.

 “We didn’t want to go to court but we had no choice. T-Mobile was effectively preventing the launch of the Truphone service so we had to take urgent action,” said Truphone CEO James Tagg. As a result of the ruling he said that Truphone is now “good to go” and will be rolling out its service as rapidly as can in the coming months.

T-Mobile denied blocking Truphone’s calls, and communications manager Simon Marks points out that the Nokia N95 supports Truphone. Marks claims that Truphone’s termination rates are the highest in the industry despite the company’s low rates—hence the court battle.

There’s yet more to the story: Technology consultant firm Disruptive Analysis reminds us that the injunction is only a temporary one, and Truphone may not be out of the woods yet, said Dean Bubley, founder.

The war between VoIP and mobile phone providers has included other VoIP companies such as Vodafone and Skype battling locked phones and FCC regulations.

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