APPEALS PANEL HEARS VOIP ARGUMENTS AGAINST 911 MANDATE

摘要

A 3-judge panel of the U.S. Appeals Court, D.C., peppered lawyers from both sides with questions Tues. in an appeal by Nuvio and other VoIP operators of the FCC抯 May 2005 requirement that such companies provide subscribers 911 capability within 120 days. Russell Blau, attorney for Nuvio and other VoIP companies, said the FCC had a laudable goal: To protect public safety. 揥hat we challenge in this case is not the goal, but the means.?Blau said the FCC 揾ad no factual basis?for determining that carriers could make their systems 911-ready so quickly. He said the FCC抯 order 搈ight have been quite reasonable?if not for the deadline. Blau said the order has hurt many carriers, forcing them to stop seeking new customers because they can抰 guarantee 911 coverage in many areas. nnBut James Carr, representing the FCC, told the court Nuvio claimed that providing 911 service within 120 days wasn抰 possible. 揟hat is simply not the case,?he said: 揟he technology was there. Some of the carriers had already negotiated agreements?to offer 911 service. He specifically cited agreements by Vonage with Qwest and Verizon. Carr also insisted the tight deadline had forced VoIP providers into action. No carrier has been cited for failure to comply, and the number offering 911 service has grown markedly since the order, he said.