FCC Takes on Oversight of Internet Phone Services
21536
The Federal Communications Commission seized regulatory control over Internet-based telephone services on Tuesday by issuing an order that sharply limited the role of state regulators.
268727
The Federal Communications Commission ruled that states are now barred from imposing telecommunications regulations on Net phone providers, which treat calls no differently than any other application on the Internet.
126024
U.S. communications regulators on  Tuesday exempted Internet telephone services from certain state  oversight, a boon for Vonage Holdings Corp. and other providers  aggressively pushing the new service.
504485
WASHINGTON Nov 9, 2004 - Federal regulators gave a boost Tuesday to the fledgling Internet phone industry, removing a regulatory hurdle that threatened to drive up the cost of making calls through cyberspace.
699577
Citing a need to nurture the emerging, "revolutionary" voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) industry, FCC chairman Michael Powell is calling for regulations that would grant the federal government greater control.
266605
Description: The Federal Communications Commission rules against state regulation of Internet phone services, voting unanimously to reserve regulatory control for itself.
452584
Two Senators on Friday called for a congressional hearing to investigate reports that phone and cable companies are unfairly stifling communications over the Internet and on cell phones.
704128
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has adopted new rules requiring wireless telephone providers to move toward testing location-based emergency dialing service at the local level.
651133
Internet telephone services on  Tuesday were insulated from many state regulations by U.S.  communications officials, a boon for upstart Vonage Holdings  Corp. and others aggressively pushing the new service.
411458
US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Michael Powell is calling for a hands-off regulatory approach to Voice over IP (VoIP) and has vowed to try to take regulatory control
244941
The Federal Communications Commission came under sharp criticism in Congress over the suspension of a program that pays for Internet service at public schools and libraries.
532937
Federal regulators decided yesterday to prevent states from heavily regulating companies that provide Internet-based phone service.
747994
Two public-interest groups praised the U.S. Federal Communications Commission for opening three inquiries into network traffic management practices by broadband providers and mobile phone carriers.The FCC announced Monday it would launch inquires into the blocking of some text messages on mobile phone networks, into the slowing of p-to-p (peer-to-peer) traffic, and into what constitutes reasonable broadband traffic management. The three inquires were based on complaints by public interest groups such as Public Knowledge and Free Press and by Vuze, a company that uses the BitTorrent p-to-p protocol to distribute Web-based video.Public Knowledge, Free Press, Vuze, and other organizations filed complaints with the FCC after press reports last year that broadband provider&#160;Comcast slowed BitTorrent traffic. Several public-interest groups also filed a complaint after Verizon Wireless denied Naral Pro-Choice America, an abortion rights group, access when the group asked to the carrier to allow Verizon customers to sign up for text-messaging alerts.&#160;Verizon reversed the decision&#160;a day later.Comcast spokeswoman Sena Fitzmaurice confirmed Tuesday that Comcast has received a letter from the FCC asking the broadband provider to describe its traffic management practices. The FCC inquiry more broadly targets broadband traffic management by all broadband providers.Similarly, the text-messaging inquiry is looking at whether any mobile phone operators should be able to block text messages. And the traffic-management inquiry focuses on what are acceptable traffic management practices industrywide, not just at Comcast.Comcast repeated a&#160;statement it released last week, when FCC chairman Kevin Martin said he planned to look into the complaints. Comcast believes its actions constitute &quot;reasonable network management&quot; and are &quot;necessary for the good of all customers,&quot; the statement said. Comcast does not halt access to any Web site or services, including p-to-p services, the statement said.Public Knowledge, Free Press, and other groups have pushed the FCC and the U.S. Congress to adopt so-called net neutrality rules, which would prohibit broadband providers from blocking or slowing Web content from competitors. Comcast and other providers have argued that some network management is needed to protect customers against bandwidth hogs.Public Knowledge praised the FCC for its three new inquires, saying the investigations will help define consumer rights online. &quot;These inquiries will go a long way to setting out a road map for determining who will control the Internet, and whether texting will be seen in the same light as wireless voice services,&quot; Public Knowledge president Gigi Sohn said by e-mail. &quot;We anticipate that at the end of the day, consumers will have more control over their Internet and wireless experiences than they do now.&quot;Free Press also praised the FCC action. &quot;Free speech should be protected everywhere -- whether it&#39;s text messages, phone calls, e-mails, or the Internet,&quot; Ben Scott, policy director of Free Press, said in a statement. &quot;The FCC has started to respond to a growing public outcry, but they shouldn&#39;t drag their feet. Companies like Comcast and Verizon have showed repeatedly that they can&#39;t be trusted. Without quick and decisive action, they&#39;ll keep blocking, manipulating and interfering.&quot;
588090
NEW YORK - You could almost hear the sighs of relief when the US Federal Communications Commission ruled on Tuesday that Internet-based phone services should be regulated by the federal government, not by the states.
250882
LAS VEGAS - Three U.S. Federal Communications Commissioners on Wednesday said laws governing telecommunications need to be revamped, but said the agency will do all it can under the current rules to encourage deployment of new technologies and services.
385238
VoIP has escaped regulation by individual states in the US after a ruling by the Federal Communications Commission. The FCC decided that Vonage Holdings&#39; DigitalVoice service could not be governed by dual
424173
A BILL seeking to classify phone calls made over the Internet separately from conventional voice calls has been filed in Congress.