FCC rules on VoIP thrice

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has again spoken on VoIP in a few arenas this week.

On Thursday, the FCC declared it would be tightening standards regarding emergency 911 services. Primarily targeting the more traditional forms of wireless provider, i.e. cell phone pushers but VoIP and other telecom forms will most likely be included in any mix.

FCC commissioners voted to consider proposals to strengthen standards for wireless carriers to meet for the 911 function. According to the Reuters report on the story, current standards call for “wireless carriers using some E911 systems must be able to determine a caller’s location within 100 meters for 67 percent of the calls and 300 meters for 95 percent of the calls. Other systems are required to determine location within 50 meters for 67 percent of calls and 150 meters for 95 percent of the calls.”

That’s a bit lenient, don’t you think?

A bit more time will pass in order for firms to adapt, as the FCC will carry out the inevitable additional studies and consulting, etc., before new standards are released.

On Friday, surely to no one’s surprise, Vonage again lost in a federal court. This time, it was the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia turning down VoIP solution provider Vonage Holdings Group’s challenge of “The Federal Communications Commission rule.”

The rule requires telecommunications companies to contribute to a fund supporting service for schools, libraries and rural and low-income households. Vonage had argued that the amount the FCC was charging Vonage for its mandatory contribution was too high.

Though the court ruled in Vonage’s favor on two points, it was little more than a pyrrhic victory for the troubled business. VoIP providers were ruled to fall under the auspices of the Federal Communications Commission rule last year.

Unfortunately, as of this writing, the Vonagers have yet to release a statement on the judgment; can’t wait to see how they spin it…

Finally, the FCC adopted the report and order entitled “Disability Access Requirements Extended To VoIP Services” at its monthly open meeting. Sort of a spiritual follow-up to the Federal Communications Commission rule, the FCC Order states that VoIP solution/service providers must meet similar requirements for providing access to people with disabilities that landline and wireless providers currently meet.

The order extends the accessibility and usability requirements of Section 255 of the Communications Act to VoIP service providers, which requires VoIP providers to contribute into the Interstate Telecommunications Relay Services Fund. It also requires VoIP service providers to meet the same TRS obligations that traditional phone companies must meet, such as connecting relay service users via 711, the nation’s free access number to reach a relay service center.

“Why should I have to ask someone to place a phone call for me just because some company forgot to design phone services with my needs in mind?” rhetorically asks Mark Richert of the American Foundation for the Blind. “And, if we can’t get our telephone bills in Braille, how do they expect us to pay them?”

It’s a good point, eh?