VoIP is the hot business in USA with thousands of people signing up for this service each day. Yet, it is not part of the consumer protection law. Over the years, FCC has recorded a number complains from the customers but did not take effective steps. Meanwhile, the pending telecom legislation deprives the states to enact laws in the field of wireless services and VoIP.
Taking a strong step to empower the states, nearly 41 state attorney generals (AGs) have urged the US congress to reconsider the pending telecom legislation that would pre-empt states from enforcing consumer-protection laws applicable to wireless carriers and VoIP service providers.
They claimed that the bill House Resolution 5252 also known as telecommunications reform bill would hurt consumers by seeking to pre-empt states from enacting and enforcing specific state consumer protection laws applicable to wireless telecom services and VoIP.
A letter singed by these AGs and submitted to the congress reads that the Texas AG recorded around 2,000 complaints over wireless services in 2003-04, Illinois’ AG register some 848 in 2004 and California received 130,000 complaints between 2000 and 2004. While, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is not well equipped to deal these complains.
It is high time to decide upon this question: Should VoIP come under consumer protection rule?
