* Vonage blazing a legal trail for VoIP
Vonage is certainly setting some legal precedents when it comes to VoIP.
First, the good news for Vonage and VoIP in general. Recently, Madison River Communications decided to block Vonage traffic. The FCC stepped in last month and fined the North Carolina company $15,000.
In a statement, FCC Chairman Michael Powell said, “We saw a problem, and we acted swiftly to ensure that Internet voice service remains a viable option for consumers… The industry must adhere to certain consumer protection norms if the Internet is to remain an open platform for innovation.”
Now Vonage is faced with another precedent-setting “opportunity.” The company is in court again, this time facing a lawsuit from the State of Texas. A family in Houston came under attack by an armed intruder and was unable to reach 911 over a Vonage-based service. The state is suing Vonage for misrepresenting itself.
According to Vonage, subscribers must register their location to participate in 911 service, and the subscribers are told this several times during the subscription process. The Attorney General maintains that Vonage is representing itself as a “phone company” and as such must provide 911 service regardless of the underlying technology or subscription process.
We believe that, “phone company” or not, this Texas vs. Vonage lawsuit will have significant implications to VoIP deployments in both consumer and enterprise markets. We’ll keep our readers updated on this important issue as it unfolds.
