WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission should not discriminate against Voice over Internet Protocol providers when there are more than 100 counties that do not offer wired 911 service, Sen. John Sununu (R-N.H.) told FCC Commissioner Michael Copps last week.
Copps was appearing before the Senate Commerce Committee as part of the confirmation process. President Bush nominated Copps to another FCC term last month.
“My concern is that we are not punitive,” said Sununu. “Not all wireline companies have 911.”
The Senate Commerce Committee in November passed a bill that could give VoIP operators waivers allowing them up to four years to implement E911 service. Copps told the committee four years was too long a timeframe. The Association of Public-safety Communications Officials has said it cannot support the bill if waiver language is included.
In June, the FCC gave VoIP service providers until Nov. 28 to provide enhanced 911 capabilities to their subscribers. The FCC also required them to advise every subscriber of the circumstances under which VoIP E-911 service may not be available or may be limited compared with traditional E-911 service. VoIP firms also were ordered to keep a record of the advisory for every subscriber.
Several VoIP operators have requested waivers from the FCC’s rules. With limited exceptions most VoIP operators said they would not be able to comply with the FCC rule.
VoIP carriers cannot market to or sign new customers up in areas where they do not offer E911 access. Nuvio Corp. and other VoIP carriers recently appealed the FCC’s rules.
Deborah Taylor Tate, also nominated to the FCC, faced relatively easy questions from the Senate panel.
Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, said he plans to push the nominees forward with final Senate confirmation before Christmas. Stevens told reporters that he had urged Bush administration officials to nominate someone to replace former commissioner Kathleen Abernathy.
The White House in November nominated Tate, a member of the Tennessee Regulator Authority, and re-nominated Copps to the five-member independent regulatory agency.
