FCC protects you against VoIP
A correspondent sends this link to a Forbes piece on the FCC's ruling on Voice-over-Internet Protocol phone service. VoIP had better provide 911 service or else they can just shut their scrappy little attempt to compete with the old-timey carriers. Also: "The FCC isn't the only governmental body putting pressure on VoIP companies. On Thursday, only hours before the FCC made its ruling, bills were introduced into both the Senate and the House of Representatives that would require Internet telephone vendors to connect to 911, and also permit state and local governments to tax those services in order to help pay for these 911 services."
In short, the new stuff must be pretty much like the old stuff or else we will crush it. It's incredible how regulators just seem to have this way of acting like the villians in a Rand novel. Another way to put it is that government is forever behaving just like the bad guys in The Incredible Bread Machine (1966)--which, I'm pleased to see, is on-line!
Comments (6)
So far this applies to services that connect to the POTS system, supplying a "real" telephone number, etc.
That isn't to say they won't figure out a way to punish, I mean tax, people who make computer-to-computer calls at some point in the future. It will be interesting to see how The Man will even *know* you're using VoIP software privately. Hmmmm....
Published: May 20, 2005 8:50 AM
As we watch the VOIP industry grow, it will be a very good lesson to all that regulations mean higher costs; in the meantime, I'll continue to enjoy my lean phone bill.
I must admit that I was moved to hear to struggles of a woman who ostensibly lost her child because she couldn't dial 911. However, regulation is unnecessary (as usual). But for our government, inaction is not an option - they MUST address the needs of the people. You see the problem with an unlimited government?
Published: May 20, 2005 11:33 AM
One more thing: you cannot get 911 service if the power goes out (the router is powered) or if internet service is down. Millions of people knew this (myself included) and still CHOSE to leave the traditional phone service, which offered 911 on these instances. Saving a whole lot of money and getting better customer service and features is well-worth a tradeoff.
Nonetheless, it will be interesting to see how/if regulators deal with these concerns.
Published: May 20, 2005 11:49 AM
You know, I'm pretty sure a large number of VoIP subscribers also own a cell phone. So if the VoIP service goes down when the power goes out, it is highly likely the cell phone would be used to contact emergency services.
-- John O.
Published: May 20, 2005 1:17 PM
It is interesting that you mention cell phones. But cell phones didn't always connect to 911 either. That was the previous chapter in this story. Originally you had to know direct emergency numbers in your area to call them. Once 911 started to work, here in California the calls were directed to the California Highway Patrol, whose dispatchers were eventually overwhelmed by the volume of calls as the number of cell phones grew. A single auto accident on the freeway might generate hundreds of calls.
The solution: I am sure you can guess. New city departments were created in the major cities to handle the cell phone 911 calls, and a enormous tax (called a "fee" to get around legal issues) was imposed on all phones to pay for it. In San Jose, the fee is $1.75 per month on every phone number (not just cell phones). In San Francisco, it is $2.75 per month.
Since the cities have the legal ability to impose these fees, no other solution was ever considered. There is no option to refuse 911 connectivity for some numbers so as to not pay the "fee". It never enters our government masters' minds that someone might not want or need 911 service on every phone line.
Now, the VoIP services are following the same path as the cell phones. They must be regulated, they must connect to 911, and the customer must pay extra for it. And a low-cost unregulated phone service goes the way of all the others.
Published: May 20, 2005 2:27 PM
The problem is that the VOIPs made it difficult to impossible to get 911 service (which from a legal-defense standpoint is really reckless). If they had wanted to avoid govt. regs, they would have been smart and offered 911 automatically from the get-go, or at least to have provided it with an opt-out option. But NOOOOOO. All too often, businesses get regulated because they make stupid choices. This is one of those instances.
Published: May 20, 2005 10:53 PM