FCC & Internet phones

[Deranged Mutant]

Simon Spero <ses at tipper.oit.unc.edu> wrote:

> The real complaint of the telephone companies seems to be not that the 
> calls are free, but that the 'whatevers' are not subject to the same 
> tariff regulation that they are. I'm sure it's because they want to be 
> able to lower their fees to the same level to compete. Quit sure. 

How can one compare the fees, though?  You buy the software (or use a 
free version of similar software) and get an account with an ISP, and 
maybe an IRC-type network devoted to Internet phone.

Telephone/conferencing over the 'net is different technology than 
standard telephone.  How can they be compared? (The exception maybe 
if one can route an Internet phone call to regular phone switches.)

I notice it's the small LD companies too.  The biggies like AT&T and 
MCI are getting into the ISP business, so they probably don't feel 
threatened by it.

ObCrypto: I don't know. I'm wondering how the FCC or DT Bill will 
affect the use of uch technologies, since it's pretty easy to plug in 
good crypto.



 
Rob. 

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