Communications Article: Faster, Easier, Cheaper; Can Regulators Keep Up with the Thriving Market for Cable-Provided VoIP Services?
1/5/2006
Written by Chérie Kiser for the Practising Law Institute's Cable Television Law 2006: Competition In Video, Internet and Telephony
This paper examines the views of the Federal Communications Commission ("FCC"), state agencies, Congress, and the courts with regard to Voice over Internet Protocol ("VoIP") services otherwise known as "Internet Telephony," "IP telephony," or "IP-enabled services." Section I provides an overview of historical and recent FCC actions that are relevant to assessing the regulatory treatment of IP-enabled services. Section II reviews the pending FCC proceedings, state actions, and Congressional efforts that may further shape the regulatory landscape for VoIP service providers. Section III analyzes the degree of regulatory uncertainty over the application of current regulations to IP-enabled services.
Chérie is the Managing Partner of the Washington, D.C. office of Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C. and Chair of the Communications and Information Technology practice group for the firm. She also serves on the Policy Committee for the firm and is Chair of the firm's Diversity Committee. Chérie's practice is devoted to telecommunications law and Internet-related transactions representing a wide range of clients, including cable companies, voice over Internet protocol service providers, competitive local exchange carriers, Internet service providers, wireless carriers, satellite carriers, integrated communications providers, and large users of telecommunications services.
