Communications and IT Paper: Challenges of the 21st Century: Are Regulators Seeking to Promote or Hamper the Deployment and Delivery of Sophisticated, Multi-functional Cable-Provided VoIP Services?

This Paper, written by Chérie R. Kiser for the Practising Law Institute, January 29, 2007, examines the views of the Federal Communications Commission ("FCC"), state agencies, and the courts with regard to Voice over Internet Protocol ("VoIP") services also commonly referred to as "Internet Telephony," "IP telephony," or "IP-enabled services." Section I provides an overview of historical and recent FCC and state actions that are relevant to assessing the regulatory treatment of IP-enabled services. Section II reviews pending proceedings that may further shape the regulatory landscape for VoIP service providers. Section III analyzes the legal principles established by past rulings against recent rulings, pending proceedings and requirements that hinge on the classification of services.