The Federal Communications Commission issued a report and order on Wednesday that will hold interconnected VoIP service providers to the same outage reporting requirements as traditional operators. The move is an effort by the FCC (News - Alert) to ensure that 911 service and other critical communication infrastructure is available to all customers, no matter what technology they use.

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski (News - Alert) said that nearly one-third of all U.S. residential telephone customers currently utilize home VoIP service. But before today, interconnected VoIP service providers were not obligated to report significant service outages to the FCC – something traditional carriers have had to do for nearly a decade. Genachowski was pleased to report that this "glaring gap" has now been closed.

The FCC stressed that the move was all about public safety and ensuring that every 911 call will reach its destination. Interconnected VoIP service providers will now need to abide by established reporting criteria and thresholds set forth by the report and order. When an outage report comes in, the FCC will work with the carrier to improve day-to-day reliability and their preparedness for future emergencies.

Genachowski suggested that Hurricane Irene, a storm that ravaged the East Coast last summer, may have been the final motivator behind the decision.

"During emergencies like Hurricane Irene this past summer, the Commission has not had the information it needs to analyze major outages of interconnected VoIP service," he said.

While hailing Wednesday's unanimous vote as a victory, Genachowski did acknowledge that the FCC deferred action on imposing similar mandates on broadband Internet service providers, which also carry voice traffic. However, Genachowski said that he will work with ISPs on "mechanisms for voluntary reporting of broadband outages."

Commissioner Robert McDowell (News - Alert) seemed to clear up the perceived inequity in his statement, noting that the commission does not possess the legal authority to regulate broadband. 

Beecher Tuttle is a TMCnet contributor. He has extensive experience writing and editing for print publications and online news websites. He has specialized in a variety of industries, including health care technology, politics and education. To read more of his articles, please visit his columnist page.

Edited by Chris DiMarco