FCC directs telecom companies to connect to VoIP

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has ruled in a statement that local telephone carriers must connect to the VoIP services.

This directive overrules the two state public service commission opinions. This ruling comes on petition from Time Warner Cable which had complained that South Carolina and Nebraska public service commissions had allowed rural local exchange carriers to refuse access to wholesale telecom vendors which connected to their VoIP powered telecom services.

FCC Chairman Kevin Martin added in a statement that they must promote competition in every sector it oversees and create a level playing field among service providers and this include the companies providing VoIP based telephony services.

FCC added that interconnection requirements should apply to both retail and wholesale telecom services. It said in the order: “A contrary decision would impede the important development of wholesale telecommunications and facilities-based VoIP competition.”

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