The Jeff Pulver Blog: US Senate Confirms FCC Nominations (but does not move forward on E-911 for VoIP Bill)

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December 22, 2005

US Senate Confirms FCC Nominations (but does not move forward on E-911 for VoIP Bill)

Last night, the Senate confirmed the nominations of Michael Copps and Debbie Tate as FCC Commissioners.

The Senate, however, does not appear to have passed S.1063 -- the Senate E-911 for VoIP Bill.

Here is the way I understand the relationship between the FCC nominations and the E-911 Bill. Sen. Rockefeller had been blocking action on the E-911 Bill -- we think Sen. Rockefeller blocked the E-911 Bill because of the inclusion of a waiver provision opposed by the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials, but there are undoubtedly more intricate politics involved here. Frankly, on the merits, I am not certain why Rockefeller would want to stop movement on the E-911 Bill. Rockefeller has worked hard to overcome the digital divide, and putting a hold on the E-911 Bill could perpetuate a digital VoIP divide and slow down E911 solutions in Rockefeller’s own West Virginia.

In any event, in response to the Rockefeller hold on the E-911 Bill, Sen. Sununu, the leading champion of Internet communications in the Senate, asked for a hold on the Copps and Tate nominations pending movement on the E-911 Bill. While not perfect, the Bill would have been a big step in the right direction to provide clarity to the industry and drive VoIP deployment.

The Bill, among other things, would have required local exchange carriers to cooperate with VoIP providers, would have provided immunity from liability for VoIP providers (similar to the immunity already accorded wireline and wireless providers), and would have established a waiver for VoIP providers who could not currently satisfy the E-911 obligations.

Although it does not appear that the E-911 Bill can move before Congress resumes in January, the industry owes a big debt of gratitude to Senator Sununu for his courageous move on behalf of the VoIP industry, Internet users, and advanced communications.

Tags: voip, E911, Senator Rockefeller, Senator Sununu