Presence and IntComm WG

["CHRIS PEABODY" <>]

I was at the meetings yesterday and can report that there were many, many 
interesting developments, on the VoIP side, but also on other telecom issues 
like Broadband over Power. What I was struck the most by was that the 
Commissioners in particular have become fairly well educated on the different 
types of VoIP calls, closed/open etc...  They seem to understand the issues 
and the magnitude of what they're about to undertake.  Powell in particular 
had great insight, especially his comment, "Technology is rewriting the 
telecom act of 1996 - and it's not going to be stopped".

Here's some notes-

IP Enabled Services - NPRM (notice of proposed rule making): What they agreed 
to yesterday was to begin the process for enacting formal rules (which could 
always be overturned by the courts or congress) for services that use IP as 
their transmission protocol (VoIP). Powell had the best quote, "This is the 
Curtain going up on a new era of communication".....He (or it may have been 
one of the others) also said that the rules should not be developed based on 
the Telecom reform act of 1996, when the commercial internet was about 2 
years old. 

The FCC staff staff urged the commissioners that they must address at least 
the following issues:

-How should the services be classified (they all agree that they are not 
intrastate calls)
-Address Universal Service funding to ensure affordable rural and low income 
services
-Carrier reciprocating Access Charges (which is a vital part of many small or 
rural carriers revenue base)
Persons with disabilities issues
-Proper E911 routing
-CALEA (Justice department/Law Enforcement wiretaps etc...)

Comm. Abernathy: 
-We must (FCC) develop the regulatory framework, otherwise it will be a 
patchwork of rules across the country. 
- FCC must set the rules so that businesses can develop models from which to 
grow.
- Clearly must be federal / interstate does not work 
- Light touch regulatory objective - 911 and Calea must be resolved

Comm Copps:
-Happy to be focusing on the public safety issues.  He wanted these defined 
before Pulver was approved as an information services provider.
- IP services need to be defined. 
- Need to ensure Universal service 

Comm Martin
- Glad that there will be a light regulatory touch.  
-Interested in the comments of the communities that are involved, esp 911 and 
law enforcement

Comm Adelstein
- Biggest thing in decades. 
-Responsible matter for the FCC to decide.  
-The initial services are clearly going after the residential marketplace..  
-Commission needs to facilitate this, not the states
- Rural and E911 are the biggest issues. 
-Insurance of Network reliability is a big part of the financial issues that 
must be understood
- Every carrier deserves intercarrier compensation

Comm Powell
-Curtain going up on a new era - exciting and unstoppable.  
-The day is here and its accelerating.  
-VoIP is much more sophisticated than TDM services - but the benefits and 
opportunities are much greater than the pitfalls.
-Most important item in communications history - if we get it right.
-Transition must include universal service, disabled, law enforcement, 911 - 
these are policy objects that will be protected by the FCC and the states
-The telecom act is being re-written by technology - and should not be the 
answer to what is trying to be accomplished.
-Here we go!


They also talked about other issues (Cellular Outage reporting and BPL)  
Heres some notes on that.

Broadband over Power: Also of great import was their approval of the 
development of Broadband over Power lines (BPL).  While this is not directly 
related to VoIP, BPL will most likely have its greatest impact on rural 
areas, and will open up new dynamics for routing of calls and public safety 
issues, as well as new markets for delivery of broadband.

All of the commisioners agreed that many of the issues of concern in VoIP are 
prevalent in BPL as this nascent technology grows.


Chris Peabody
Director, Enterprise Network Communication Systems
L Robert Kimball & Associates
Washington, DC

>>> "Carl Ford" 
>>> <>
>>>  02/13/04 10:05AM >>>
Hey Ben and VoIP WG.

I just wanted to say that this victory is not complete.

A few of the commissioners are trying to put a CALEA role on the apps side.

Our best solution would have been to be in limbo.  Neither telecom nor
telecom service, but not and information service.
Personally I liked Verizons statement that it all VoIP is Interstate best.

After the victory we went to the hill.  The talk is all about a revision of
the telecom act of 96.  Jurisdiction and Definitions may be revised and of
course there will be lobbying by many powerfull players.  We are trying to
get all of the appropriate computer / Internet types on the same page down
in WDC for these upcoming conversations.

If you have people who are like minded about the future of the Internet
please tell them of our efforts.
-----Original Message-----
From: Ben Teitelbaum 
[mailto:]
 
Sent: Thursday, February 12, 2004 10:39 PM
To: wg-pic; VoIP Working Group
Subject: Today's FCC Ruling


Looks like we can all breath a little easier today and sleep a little
more soundly tonight.  Computer-to-computer VoIP will remain largely
unregulated in the US, giving us space to develop and deploy advanced
IP voice communications applications.  For services that interoperate
with the PSTN, things are murkier and less settled.

Any comments from VoIPers or PICers who were present at the
proceedings in DC (or who just watched the RealMedia feed)?

Some pointers:

FCC's VoIP Page
http://fcc.gov/voip/ 

CNET Article
http://news.com.com/2100-7352_3-5158105.html?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=news 

NYTimes Article
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/12/technology/12CND-NET.html 

Jeff Pulver's Blog
http://192.246.69.231/jeff/personal/ 

-- ben