[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 237 (Wednesday, December 10, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 68924]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-30543]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[WC Docket No. 02-361; WC Docket No. 03-45; WC Docket No. 03-211; DA 
03-3777]


FCC Announces Agenda for the Voice Over IP Forum

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Communications Commission announces a Forum to 
discuss Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). All FCC Commissioners will 
participate. The purpose of the Forum is to gather information 
concerning advancements, innovations, and regulatory issues related to 
VoIP services. Information concerning the Forum, including the agenda, 
copies of presentations, and bios of the speakers, will be available at 
the Forum Web page http://www.fcc.gov/voip/.

DATES: The Forum will take place Monday, December 1, 2003, 10:30 a.m. 
to 3 p.m. The event is open to the public, and there is no fee for 
attendance. Pre-registration is not required.

ADDRESSES: Federal Communications Commission, Commission Meeting Room, 
445 12th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20554.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Pepper, Office of Strategic 
Planning and Policy Analysis, (202) 418-2030, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Federal Communications Commission 
announces a Forum to discuss Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). All 
FCC Commissioners will participate. The purpose of the Forum is to 
gather information concerning advancements, innovations, and regulatory 
issues related to VoIP services. The agenda and further details are 
attached. Information concerning the Forum, including the agenda, 
copies of presentations, and bios of the speakers, will be available at 
the Forum Web page http://www.fcc.gov/voip/.
    The VoIP Forum will be webcast live and also archived for later 
viewing. Access to and additional information concerning the webcast is 
available at http://www.fcc.gov/realaudio/. Audio and video tapes of 
this meeting can be purchased from CACI Productions, 341 Victory Drive, 
Herndon, VA 20170, telephone number (703) 834-1470, Ext. 19; fax number 
(703) 834-0111.
    The Forum will open with statements by the Chairman and the 
Commissioners. There will also be a background presentation by FCC 
staff regarding FCC Precedents regarding VoIP.
    The first panel will address technical and market issues 
surrounding VoIP service. Panelists will be asked to describe the 
technology and capabilities of VoIP, and how VoIP can be used to offer 
end users lower-cost, innovative services with capabilities previously 
unavailable in voice communications. Panelists will address how the FCC 
might distinguish among the numerous services employing VoIP, and 
whether it could feasibly distinguish between VoIP and other IP-enabled 
applications facilitating communication (ranging from e-mail to instant 
messaging to videoconferencing to interactive online gaming). The 
panelists will include Kevin Werbach, Founder, Supernova Group, Charles 
H. Giancarlo, SVP and General Manager, Cisco Systems, Inc., Jeff 
Pulver, President and CEO, Pulver.com, John Hodulik, Managing Director, 
Communications Group, UBS, and John Billock, COO, Time Warner Cable.
    The second panel will address public policy questions raised by 
VoIP. Panelists will be asked to address what, if any, regulatory 
obligations currently imposed upon traditional circuit-switched voice 
service providers should be placed upon VoIP providers and whether from 
either legal or technical perspectives such obligations are feasible. 
Panelists may focus on traditional utility regulatory issues such as 
non-discrimination and price regulation as well as social policies such 
as access by persons with disabilities, universal service, CALEA, and 
E911. The panelists will include Michael Gallagher, Acting Assistant 
Secretary, Department of Commerce, Commissioner Carl Wood, California 
PUC, Commissioner Charles Davidson, Florida PSC, James Crowe, CEO, 
Level3, Tom Evslin, CEO, ITXC, Jeffrey Citron, CEO, Vonage, and Dr. 
Gregg Vanderheiden, Rehabilitation Engineering Research Project on 
Telecommunications Access, University of Wisconsin.
    The Forum will end with closing statements by Chairman and 
Commissioners.

    Federal Communications Commission.
Kathleen Ham,
Deputy Chief, Office of Strategic Planning & Policy Analysis.
[FR Doc. 03-30543 Filed 12-9-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P