View Rule

This proceeding seeks to strengthen public safety, pro-consumer and pro-competition policies and protections in a manner appropriate for technology transitions that are underway and for networks and services that emerge from those transitions.The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking proposed new rules to ensure reliable backup power for consumers of IP-based voice and data services across networks that provide residential fixed service that substitutes for and improves upon the kind of traditional telephony used by people to dial 911. It also proposed new and revised rules to protect consumers by ensuring they are informed about their choices and the services provided to them when carriers retire legacy facilities (e.g., copper networks) and seek to discontinue legacy services (e.g., basic voice service). Finally, it proposed revised rules to protect competition where it exists today, so that the mere change of a network facility or discontinuance of a legacy service does not deprive small- and medium-size business, schools, libraries, and other enterprises of the ability to choose the kinds of innovative services that best suit their needs.