The Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) announced that the act of a state, local, or Tribal government charging the same class of subscribers higher 911 fees for VoIP services than traditional services is discriminatory. The Commission determined that such action conflicts with the NET 911 Act of 2008, which was enacted to fully integrate VoIP service into the existing 911 system and create fee parity. The Commission argues that by allowing such discriminatory behavior it could deter adoption of VoIP service. Moreover, the FCC clarifies that this ruling serves merely as a guidance for courts in overseeing litigation concerning 911 fees, not as a preemption of any state law or regulation.
