FCC looks to amend E911 rules for VoIP

Posted on August 9, 2011 | By Voicent Customer Service

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has released a proposed rule regarding Emergency 911 requirements for IP-enabled service providers.

A summary of the ruling released in the Federal Register states: “In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (the Commission) proposes measures to improve 911 availability and location determination for users of interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services.

“First, the Commission considers whether to apply our 911 rules to ‘outbound-only’interconnected VoIP services, i.e., services that support outbound calls to the public switched telephone network (PSTN) but not inbound voice calling from the PSTN.

“These services, which allow consumers to place IP-based outbound calls to any telephone number, have grown increasingly popular in recent years. The Commission asks whether such services are likely to generate consumer expectations that they will support 911 calling and consider whether to extend to outbound-only interconnected VoIP service providers the same 911 requirements that have applied to other interconnected VoIP service providers since 2005.

“The Commission seeks comment on whether our proposal to amend the definition of interconnected VoIP service for 911 purposes has any impact on our interpretation of certain statutes that reference the Commission’s existing definition of interconnected VoIP [voice over internet protocol] service.”

The full text of the FCC’s Second Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking is available in the FCC Reference Center, Room CY-A257, 445 12th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20554, or online at http://transition.fcc.gov/pshs/services/911-services/.

Comments may be submitted by Oct. 3 through http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs2/. Use the identification PS Docket No. 07-114; GN Docket No. 11-17; WC Docket No. 05-196.

Posted in Business, technology, VoIP |

‘Virtual’ fax via VoIP is promoted

Posted on August 9, 2011 | By Voicent Customer Service

Business and home phone service ITP VoIP is showcasing its new internet phone fax extensions, including both traditional and digital faxing plans.

For under $10 a month, ITP’s Voice over IP clients can add a designated fax line to any ITP plan or, for the same price, sign up for the company’s fully featured virtual fax service for paperless faxing.

ITP VoIP’s dedicated fax line package includes a free dedicated phone number that clients can customize to nearly any local area code in the U.S. ITP VoIP customers will also get 250 pages of free faxing each month and online account management, enabling them to view their fax logs from any computer in real time and receive faxes on the go.

The phone provider also allows customers to send and receive faxes via email. With this feature clients can send faxes from any computer or mobile device with an internet connection, and faxes can be received at up to three separate email accounts per customer.

Posted in Business, VoIP |

Verizon strike tied to cuts, losses to VoIP

Posted on August 9, 2011 | By Voicent Customer Service

More than 45,000 East Coast-basedVerizon workers went on strike Sunday,  protesting the company’s request for concessions from two of its major unions.

went on strike in the mid-Atlantic and northeast regions on Sunday,

The walkout of employees from Verizon landline business, is the first in 11 years at the corporation. According to reports in the Wall Street Journal and numerous other news outlets, the action came after Verizon requested union concessions because of decreasing revenue as cell phone use and VoIP services rise.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Verizon’s landline revenues fell in the first six months of 2011 to $20.4 billion, about $3 billion of which was profit for Verizon shareholders.

Posted in Business, technology |