Pennsylvania Policy Update – VoIP

State Senator Rob Wonderling, along with Senator Connie Williams and several other cosponsors, introduced the The Voice over Internet Freedom Act. The legislation would keep Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) other IP enabled services free of unnecessary economic regulation, stimulating deployment of new technology, promote new investments in Pennsylvania’s infrastructure, and, most importantly, benefit Pennsylvania consumers.VoIP already is giving Pennsylvanians an efficient, effective alternative for voice service.  The powerful capabilities of VoIP technology give consumers exciting new services at affordable prices, such as the ability to manage voice messaging from their computers, the ability to customize routing of incoming calls based on the calling number, and the ability to “dial” a number by clicking it on a computer screen
 
VoIP services are emerging in a highly competitive environment, where providers such as Vonage, AT&T CallVantage, Packet 8, Sunrocket, Voicewing and Optimum Voice not only compete with one another, they also compete with a host of other voice service providers, including Verizon, wireless carriers such as AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint and Verizon Wireless, and also cable telephony providers such as Comcast (which uses VoIP technology to deliver its voice services).  Regulation of VoIP would be hugely counterproductive. It would slow carriers’ ability to respond to the market and would retard their incentives for investment and innovation, which is why this legislation is so important. Several other states, including New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia already have passed legislation that would keep VoIP service free of regulation, and there now is an opportunity to join its regional competitors in doing the same.The other sponsors of the bill are: Sen. Jake Corman; Sen. Jane Orie; Sen. Stewart Greenleaf; Sen. Edwin Erickson; Sen. John Rafferty; Sen. Vince Fumo; Sen. Jeff Piccola; Sen. Mike Folmer; Sen. Shirley Kitchen; Sen. Pat Browne; Sen. Robert Mellow; Sen. Michael O’Pake; Sen. Wayne Fontana; Sen. Leanna Washington; Sen. Roger Madigan; Sen. Charles McIllhinney; Sen. Jay Costa; and Sen. Vince Hughes.