31 October 2007

The
FCC voted to expand local number portability (LNP) rules to VoIP
services, giving consumers the right to keep the same, familiar phone
number when switching to a new provider.

The FCC made clear that the obligation to provide local number
portability extends to interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol
providers and the telecommunications carriers that obtain numbers for
them. The FCC said the action was, in part, a response to numerous
complaints by consumers about their inability to port numbers to or
from interconnected VoIP providers. The FCC also initiated a Notice of
Proposed Rulemaking seeking comment on additional VoIP numbering
issues.