Net phone companies do not have to cut off subscribers even if they do not provide enhanced 911 service, the Federal Communications Commission has decided.
Internet telephone providers such as Nuvio had worried that the FCC rules adopted in May required them to suspend by Nov. 28 service for subscribers who do not receive enhanced 911, or E911, service that gives emergency dispatchers the person's address and phone number.
Existing customers do not have to be disconnected, the FCC said Monday, but the Net phone service providers must cease marketing and accepting new customers in areas without E911 service.
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 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.
"Our concern is that this marketing restriction will slow down our deployment of E911 because it gives clear incentives to some of our competitors, who control access to the 911 systems, to delay every way possible," said Chris Murray, vice president for government affairs at Vonage, the biggest U.S. provider of VoIP.
http://news.com.com/FCC+drops+E911+cutoff+date/2100-7352_3-5939325.html?tag=nefd.top
Internet telephone providers such as Nuvio had worried that the FCC rules adopted in May required them to suspend by Nov. 28 service for subscribers who do not receive enhanced 911, or E911, service that gives emergency dispatchers the person's address and phone number.
Existing customers do not have to be disconnected, the FCC said Monday, but the Net phone service providers must cease marketing and accepting new customers in areas without E911 service.
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 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.
"Our concern is that this marketing restriction will slow down our deployment of E911 because it gives clear incentives to some of our competitors, who control access to the 911 systems, to delay every way possible," said Chris Murray, vice president for government affairs at Vonage, the biggest U.S. provider of VoIP.
http://news.com.com/FCC+drops+E911+cutoff+date/2100-7352_3-5939325.html?tag=nefd.top
