110 HR 2725 IH: Alarm Customer VOIP Notification Act U.S. House of Representatives 2007-06-14 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I 110th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2725 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 14, 2007 Mr. Engel (for himself and Mr. Stearns) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce A BILL To require the Federal Communications Commission to adopt regulations to protect subscribers to Internet protocol telephone services concerning the use of such services with alarm, security, and personal emergency response systems.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Alarm Customer VOIP Notification Act of 2007.

2.

Regulations required

(a)

Commission Proceeding Required

Within 45 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Federal Communications Commission shall commence a rulemaking to adopt regulations that will protect subscribers to VOIP services who utilize alarm, security, or personal emergency response systems in conjunction with VOIP services. (b)

Minimum Contents of Regulations

The rules required by this section shall ensure that subscribers to VOIP service are informed by clear and conspicuous disclosure by a VOIP service provider and by a manufacturer of VOIP equipment in all sales and instructional materials, and again before installation or number activation, of the steps the subscribers need to take to maintain the proper functioning of any alarm, security, or personal emergency response system that the subscriber intends to utilize in conjunction with VOIP service to provide monitoring services. Such steps shall include that each such customer should— (1)arrange with his or her emergency response system provider, if any, to test such system after installation; (2)notify his or her emergency response system provider as soon as the VOIP service is installed; and (3)maintain a 24-hour battery backup for customer premises equipment installed in connection with the VOIP service in order for the signaling of such system to function in the event of a power outage. (c)

Definitions

For purposes of this section: (1)

VOIP service

The term VOIP service means a service that— (A)provides real-time voice communications transmitted through end user equipment using Internet protocol, or a successor protocol, for a fee or without a fee; (B)is offered to the public, or such classes of users as to be effectively available to the public (whether part of a bundle of services or separately); and (C)has the capability to originate traffic to, or terminate traffic from, the public switched telephone network. (2)

Emergency response system

The term emergency response system means an alarm or security system, or personal security or medical monitoring system, that is connected to an emergency response center by means of a telecommunications carrier or VOIP service provider. (3)

Emergency response center

The term emergency response center means an entity that monitors transmissions from an emergency response system.