Cliconnect News

FCC says no cutoff for Internet phone customers
Service providers faced Nov. 28 deadline to meet E911 rule

Internet telephone providers like Nuvio Corp. had worried that the FCC rules adopted in May required them to suspend by Nov. 28 service for subscribers who cannot receive enhanced 911 (E911) service.

Existing customers did not have to be disconnected, but the FCC said in a public notice that Internet telephone providers would have to cease marketing and accepting new customers in areas where they are not connecting 911 calls with the person's location and phone number, according to FCC guidance.

Nuvio and other providers of Internet phone service, known as voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), last week filed challenges with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit seeking to stay the Nov. 28 date pending their challenge.

VoIP providers have complained that they face numerous hurdles to offering enhanced 911 service, including accessing the necessary databases operated by other telecommunications providers.

The FCC adopted several E911 rules for VoIP in May, including requirements that 911 calls be routed to live dispatchers and that the caller's location and number be identified. The move followed instances in which customers had trouble reaching help when they dialed 911.

The FCC had eased an earlier requirement that VoIP providers suspend service for those customers who failed to acknowledge the limitations of 911 capability with it.

The Voice on the Net Coalition, which represents many VoIP providers, said that roughly 750,000 customers could be affected if they had to suspend service to those who did not have enhanced 911 service available.

Less than half of the dozen VoIP providers surveyed by the coalition, 42%, said they would be able to provide enhanced 911 service to 100% of their customers with a primary fixed location by Nov. 28.