VoIP Outage Reporting Obligations One Step Closer to Implementation

This post was co-written by Randy Sifers.

In February, the FCC adopted new outage reporting rules for interconnected VoIP providers. Our story and our advisory on the new rules are available at this link. At the time, we told you that the rules would become effective 90 days after OMB approved the new information collection.

On Friday, the new outage reporting rules took one step closer to becoming effective. No, OMB has not yet approved the rules. However, the FCC published notice in the Federal Register of its Report and Order extending the network outage reporting requirements to interconnected VoIP service providers. Friday’s publication was made to comply with OMB information collection requirements. The FCC will make a future publication announcing the effective date of the new rule when OMB approval is obtained.

This notice does have the effect of starting the clock for appeals or petitions for reconsideration of the new outage reporting rules. Interested parties may file for reconsideration within 30 days of the notice; petitioners may appeal the decision within 60 days.