FCC: VoIP companies must give 'reasonable notice' before shutdown

The FCC approved a rule yesterday that mandates that struggling VoIP companies must give customers and regulatory bodies "reasonable notice" before they shut down. The rule is meant to avoid a repeat of the sudden SunRocket shutdown in July 2007 that left thousands of customers without any phone service, including access to 911 and other emergency numbers.

But the FCC did not specify the amount of time a VoIP provider has to provide its warning, so for now the vague "reasonable notice" timeframe is up for interpretation.

"More people will switch to VoIP as we push broadband around the country so it's imperative that the system is secure," said Democratic FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein, according to PC Magazine.

That the FCC did not specify the length of the required notice period is notable, and may spark challenges or at least clarifications from those in the industry.

For more:
- see the PC Magazine article here 

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