FCC OKs VoIP wiretaps, gives carriers a break on e911
The FCC is all about VoIP lately, having made two significant decisions concerning the industry in the last week. First, on Friday, they gave the go-ahead for law enforcement officials to place wiretaps on VoIP lines, arguing that services which connect to telephone networks fall under U.S. wiretap laws. This move effectively reiterates the agency's 2007 deadline for VoIP carriers to make their lines "wiretap-ready." In other FCC news, VoIP providers will be getting an extension to receive confirmation from their subscribers that they understand the risks of 911 usage on their 'netphones. Had the extension not been granted, carriers with over a 10% non-confirmation rate would have had to cancel service for all non-confirming subscribers. The agency has bumped the deadline to October 31, when up to 10,000 VoIP customers will be disconnected if they don't get it in gear and reply to their service providers.
