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Voice over IP Forum: December 1, 2003

The Federal Communications Commission announces a Forum to discuss Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). All FCC Commissioners will participate. The hearing is open to the public, and seating will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. The purpose of the Forum is to gather information concerning advancements, innovations, and regulatory issues related to VoIP services.


Headlines

12/1/03
FCC Commissioners' Opening Remarks.
Chairman Powell: Word | Acrobat
Commissioner Copps: Word | Acrobat
Commissioner Martin: Word | Acrobat
Commissioner Adelstein: Word | Acrobat

12/1/03
Chairman Powell Announces the Formation of an Internet Policy Working Group.
News Release: Word | Acrobat

12/1/03
Letters from U.S. Senators on the VOIP forum.
Senator George Allen, Senator John Ensign, Senator John McCain, Senator John E. Sununu, Senator Ron Wyden

11/28/03
Remarks of Chairman Powell on Voice Over IP at the Technology Advisory Council Meeting.
Word | Acrobat


Agenda

10:30 Welcome
10:40-11:00 Opening statements by Chairman and Commissioners
  Chairman Michael K. Powell Word | Acrobat
  Commissioner Kathleen Q. Abernathy
  Commissioner Michael J. Copps Word | Acrobat
  Commissioner Kevin J. Martin Word | Acrobat
  Commissioner Jonathan S. Adelstein Word | Acrobat
11:00-11:15 Background Presentation by FCC Staff
FCC Precedents regarding VoIP
11:15-12:15 Panel I - What is VoIP? (technical and service features and issues)

The first panel will address technical and market issues surrounding VoIP service. Panelists will be asked to describe the technology and capabilities of VoIP, and how VoIP can be used to offer end users lower-cost, innovative services with capabilities previously unavailable in voice communications. Panelists will address how the FCC might distinguish among the numerous services employing VoIP, and whether it could feasibly distinguish between VoIP and other IP-enabled applications facilitating communication (ranging from e-mail to instant messaging to videoconferencing to interactive online gaming).
Kevin Werbach, Founder
Supernova Group
presentation

Charles H. Giancarlo, SVP & General Manager
Cisco Systems, Inc.

Jeff Pulver, President & CEO
Pulver.com
presentation

John Hodulik, Managing Director, Communications Group
UBS
presentation

John Billock, COO
Time Warner Cable
presentation

12:15 - 1:00 Break
1:00 - 2:30 Panel II - VoIP and Public Policy

The second panel will address public policy questions raised by VoIP. Panelists will be asked to address what, if any, regulatory obligations currently imposed upon traditional circuit-switched voice service providers should be placed upon VoIP providers and whether from either legal or technical perspectives such obligations are feasible. Panelists may focus on traditional utility regulatory issues such as non-discrimination and price regulation as well as social policies such as access by persons with disabilities, universal service, CALEA, and E911.
Michael Gallagher, Acting Assistant Secretary
Department of Commerce

Commissioner Carl Wood
California PUC

Commissioner Charles Davidson
Florida PSC
presentation

James Crowe, CEO
Level3

Tom Evslin, CEO
ITXC
presentation

Jeffrey Citron, CEO
Vonage
presentation

Dr. Gregg Vanderheiden, Rehabilitation Engineering Research Project on Telecommunications Access
University of Wisconsin
presentation

2:30-2:50 Closing statements by Chairman and Commissioners


Submissions to the VoIP Forum

Submissions to the VoIP Forum were accepted through Monday, December 15, 2003 are now part of the VoIP Forum’s record and are available to the public. They are not a part of the record of any current proceeding unless separately submitted to that proceeding.

Click here to view submissions to the VoIP Forum

Facilities

The FCC is located at 445 12th Street SW, Washington, DC 20554. Directions and a map of the streets near the FCC are available at http://www.fcc.gov/portalsmap.html. The Commission Meeting Room is equipped with a Wi-Fi Internet network.


Security

Please note that the FCC is a federal building with security. All attendees will be required to pass through security. The FCC's Commission Meeting Room will be opened early to facilitate access to the building; attendees are encouraged to allocate additional time to enter the building.


Webcast & Video

The VoIP Forum will be webcast live and also archived for later viewing. Access to and additional information concerning the webcast is available at http://www.fcc.gov/realaudio/publicforums.html. For a fee this meeting can be accessed live over George Mason University's Capitol Connection including live via the Internet. To purchase these services call (703) 993-3100 or go to http://www.capitolconnection.gmu.edu/. Audio and video tapes of this meeting can be purchased from CACI Productions, 341 Victory Drive, Herndon, VA 20170, telephone number (703) 834-1470, Ext. 19; fax number (703) 834-0111.


Reasonable Accommodations

Open captioning and sign language interpreters will be provided for this event. Other reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities are available upon request. Include a description of the accommodation you will need including as much detail as you can. Also include a way we can contact you if we need more information. Make your request as early as possible. Last minute requests will be accepted, but may not be possible to fill. Send an e-mail to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau: For sign language interpreters, CART, and other reasonable accommodations: 202-418-0530 (voice), 202-418-0432 (tty). For accessible format materials (braille, large print, electronic files, and audio format): 202-418-0531 (voice), 202-418-7365 (tty).


For Further Information:

For further information please contact Robert Pepper, Chief, Policy Development; email: voipforum@fcc.gov; voice: 202-418-2030. Press inquires should be directed to Michael Balmoris, at 202-418-0253 or Meribeth McCarrick, at 202-418-0654.



last reviewed/edited on March 6, 2006 


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