Talk about tentative. The FCC is again proposing to require interconnected VoIP (Voice over IP) providers and broadband ISPs to report outages. The tentative nature is, of course, because the FCC's authority over the Internet has never been set in stone.
The Commission feels it might be on terra firma, though, because it already has such reporting rules for traditional phone service and VoIP is nothing more than an extension of that service using the Internet and both forms are used for public safety.
While the vote was unanimous, Republican Commissioner Robert McDowell pointed to the possible link between the rules and net neutrality, which he opposes and Republican Meredith Atwell Baxter didn't participate because she's leaving the Commission to work as a Comcast lobbyist and the rules would affect her future bosses.
For more:
- Broadcasting & Cable has this story
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