Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Having a Change of Heart, Powell Said to Now Favor Regulation of VoIP

From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 20 Nov 2003 22:00:03 -0500

Having a Change of Heart, Powell Said to Now Favor Regulation of VoIP

The chairman of the FCC, Michael Powell, appears to be leaning toward a
policy position that would impose some level of regulatory control over the
emerging technology known as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). Powell,
who has not yet publicly signaled his stance specifically on VoIP, was once
believed to have favored a "hands-off" approach regarding regulation of
Internet-related technologies. However, sources inside the FCC and elsewhere
say Powell has had a change-of-heart on VoIP, a development that is being
viewed by proponents of the technology with a great deal of concern, if not
downright trepidation.

Sources inside the commission say that while it may be true Powell loathes
the prospect of teeing up new rules that could possibly expose the Internet
itself to full-blown regulatory treatment, he remains cognizant of increased
pressures on the Universal Service Fund (USF) that are draining the subsidy
pool. Also, there are a number of state regulators who have already taken
shots across the bow of VoIP, albeit none of them have scored direct hits -
at least not yet. Even so, VoIP service providers are continuing to be
pursued by a growing number of state regulators who want to see the service
classified as a telecommunications service, not an information service.

Further exacerbating the situation, the National Association of Regulatory
Utility Commissioners (NARUC)http://www.naruc.org/default.shtm) is embracing
a position calling for VoIP to be treated as a telecommunications service,
thus subject to state and federal regulatory control.

  http://www.wirelesstoday.com/news/1069349769.htm

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