« Avoiding the lines (and the people) on “Black Friday” | Main | The Enchanted World of Amy Zerner and Monte Farber »

November 26, 2004

CHAIRMAN POWELL ISSUES STATEMENT ON SBC’S TIPToP SERVICE

FCC Chairman Michael Powell issued the following statement earlier today concerning SBC’s new interstate connectivity service, known as TIPToP.

“SBC’s interstate tariff for TIPToP service comes at time when VoIP services are continuing to grab consumer attention by offering more choice, lower prices, greater value, and enhanced features. I am committed to ensuring that this Commission avoids any action that might slow the IP-services revolution.

Against this backdrop, the Commission, state utility commissions, and the courts all are considering the question of whether legacy access charges should apply to VoIP services. SBC’s tariff makes clear that TIPToP is not a mandatory offering and VoIP providers may continue to utilize alternatives to exchange their traffic. Should we conclude that this tariff is being used to justify the imposition of traditional tariffed access charges on VoIP providers or to discriminate against SBC’s competitors, the Commission will take appropriate action including, but not limited to, initiating an investigation of SBC’s interstate tariff and any other tariff that proposes similar terms. Nothing in this tariff should be interpreted to force a set of compensation relationships on VoIP providers and their connecting carriers either at this Commission or in other venues.

SBC’s tariff arrives at the Commission while we have before us three proceedings that raise issues related to the charges applicable to VoIP services – a petition filed by Level 3, our larger intercarrier compensation proceeding and a rulemaking on IP-enabled services. I look forward to considering these pending proceedings.”

Posted by jeff on November 26, 2004 10:19 PM | Permalink

Additional resources: #140conf events | Watch the Jeff Pulver Show | Jeff's Qik Videos

Comments

The FCC does not have to address it ever. Petitions filed at the FCC may be ignored indefinitely, put out to comment or dismissed. If put out to comment, the expectation is that the FCC would eventually produce an order, but there's no timetable for this either.

Posted by: Dan Ryan at November 28, 2004 06:19 AM

any IDEA when the Level3 Petition MUST be addressed by POWELL and the FCC ?????????

Skibare

Posted by: skibare at November 27, 2004 08:28 PM