A federal appeals court today refused to delay the Federal Communications
Commission’s (FCC) Nov. 28 deadline for all Internet telephone companies to
supply emergency calling with their services.
“We will still proceed with our appeal
After that date, the FCC will bar all Voice over IP
not fully provision E911 emergency calling.
Last month, VoIP provider Nuvio of Overland Park, Kan., filed a motion for a
temporary stay of the FCC order, contending the mandate is impossible to
meet and will be financially disastrous for the emerging industry.
“While I’m greatly disappointed in today’s decision by the U S Court of
Appeals, I am heartened by the fact that the court’s decision did not
address the substantive issues in this case,” Jason Talley, president and
CEO of Nuvio, said in a statement.
and still believe that the FCC’s E911 Order for VoIP service providers is
arbitrary and capricious.”
Citing public-safety concerns, the FCC ruled in May that VoIP services that
interconnect with the public switched telephone network (PSTN) must provide
E911 operators with the locations and telephone numbers of callers. The FCC
gave the VoIP providers 120 days to comply with the order.
The FCC also ordered VoIP providers to disconnect their existing customers
by Nov. 28 even if they could not offer them full E911 services, a decision
the agency backed down from last week.
“Internet telephone providers do not have to cut off U.S. subscribers even
if they are not provided enhanced 911 emergency service,” the new FCC order
states.
However, the FCC stressed, “We do expect that such providers will
discontinue marketing VoIP service, and accepting new customers for their
service, in all areas where they are not transmitting 911 calls.”
Nuvio’s Talley said Tuesday that although the FCC decided against forcing VoIP
providers to disconnect existing customers, the decision “does not
ameliorate the impact of the forced withdrawal of our VoIP service from the
marketplace.”
He added, “The fact of the matter is this is: the FCC’s E911 requirements
will translate into less choice for consumers and less technical innovation
for our country.”
