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UTEX Communications Corp. d/b/a Feature Group IP

Posted on: Thursday, 22 January 2009, 19:30 CST

AUSTIN, Texas, Jan. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- UTEX Communications Corp. d/b/a Feature Group IP released the following statement:

Decision:

Feature Group IP Petition for Forbearance from Section 251(g) of the Communications Act and Section 51.701(B)(1) and 69.5(b) of the Commission's Rules.

(Dkt No. 07-256) (FCC No. 09-3). MO&O adopted 01/21/2009.

http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-09-3A1.doc

http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-09-3A2.doc

http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-09-3A1.pdf

http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-09-3A2.pdf

The FCC decided yesterday to yet again not decide the issue of intercarrier compensation for Internet applications in even the most narrow of requests. Like the non-decision decision derided by the DC Circuit in the Core Communications case, the FCC relied on regulatory doublespeak to say that it prefers to deal with individual cases only within the context of global regulation, which never happens within this captured regulatory agency. The problem with this hackneyed rationale is that the issue of Internet to PSTN compensation has been on the FCC's backburner since 1996 creating a vacuum that allows legacy carriers to dictate regulatory policy through economic and technological barriers to competition. As was the case with Judge Greene's opinion in United States v. AT&T in 1984, the failure of the regulators to regulate leaves the entire telecommunications industry and competitive innovation vulnerable to the anti-competitive instincts of the magically-recombined AT&T and other entrenched ILECs.

"The FCC ruling today has essentially blessed self regulation by the telephone companies to continue and grow a market boycott on two way voice communications between Internet users and telephone users on any terms other than the incumbents allow and prescribe. Rural and low income customers soon will not be able to call or be called from broadband users who use Skype or similar Internet applications. All customers will soon not be able to use "Magic Jack" to call their neighbors; instead they will have to dial 1+ and pay long distance fees to the telephone companies. The only choice left will be to buy TIPToP from AT&T (enjoying record profits under the current regulatory free-for-all) - which effectively taxes Internet voice at a penalty rate.

Feature Group IP is hopeful that under new leadership the FCC will, upon reconsideration, abandon this paradigm of indecision and patronage that paralyzes the technological innovation that could bring the full power of voice-enabled Internet applications to all Americans and break the innovation-stifling stranglehold that the ILECs have on the regulatory process.

SOURCE UTEX Communications Corp. d/b/a Feature Group IP

Source: PR Newswire

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