More on Vonage service disruptions...

Wed Mar 2 16:29:02 UTC 2005

Church, Chuck wrote:
> Another thing for an ISP considering blocking VoIP is the fact that
> you're cutting off people's access to 911.  That alone has got to have
> some tough legal ramifications.  I can tell you that if my ISP started
> blocking my Vonage, my next cell phone call would be my attorney... 

Vonage is not supposed to be a Primary Line Service. IIRC, I got a big
flyer with my welcome kit that basically said this is a Communications
service, not a Telephone service, and it outlined the differences.

What is more stable where you are, your broadband connection or your
telephone line to your LEC? (if you still have one).  I know in my case
at home, the phone line was much more reliable, then my cable modem.  I
can count the times on 1 hand that I had been without Dial tone in the
last 3 years (And I live in a rural area), but my cable modem connection
goes out at least once a month.  So if My cable modem goes out, I would
be effectively without 911 also.  As my ISP @ home is not a regulated
entity, the only person I can complain to is them, or else take my
business elsewhere.

Even if the ISP in question is a LEC, normally the ISP side of the house
is unregulated. The LEC providesthe circuit, and the ISP provides the
bandwidth / services on that circuit.

If you ISP decided to block VOIP, your cell phone call should be to
their competition to order service from them, and vote with your
dollars.  Or at least to your ISP to call up and complain.

Just my opinion, IANAL (I don't even play one on TV), etc...

-Patrick

-- 
Patrick Muldoon
Network/Software Engineer
INOC (http://www.inoc.net)
PGPKEY (http://www.inoc.net/~doon)
Key ID: 0x370D752C

(A)bort, (R)etry, (P)retend this never happened?