FCC to Open IP Telephony Proceedings on December 1

The FCC will hold a forum on Voice over IP issues on 01-December-2003 and shortly thereafter intends to initiate a Notice of Public Rule Making (NPRM) to inquire about the migration of voice services to IP-based networks.


The December hearing will invite industry and government leaders to discuss how digital technologies are being used to provide innovative and affordable voice services to consumers and stimulate economic growth. It will also explore regulatory classification issues and explore the best means to achieve important health, safety and welfare policy objectives such as E911, universal service and homeland security.


In a letter to Senator Wyden published on the FCC homepage, Michael Powell expressed his excitement about the potential of VoIP to revolutionize the way services are delivered to consumers and businesses. Powell noted that "the creative forces that have fueled the Internet growth for the last decade are doing the very thing government regulators have tried to accomplish since the 1996 Telecommunications Act -- bring competitive, cheaper and more innovative voice services to the public." As the U.S. Senate debates the issue of Internet Tax Moratoriums, Powell urged caution regarding the taxation of VoIP services -- "imposing regulatory burdens on the new and emerging Internet services, before the FCC fully engages the public and develops a comprehensive record, may have the unintended consequence of stifling its growth and denying the public benefits of that growth."http://www.fcc.gov