Wireline
FreeConference encouraged its customers to write Congress to oppose banning what big telcos call traffic pumping. Universal Service Fund legislation in the works by Chairman Rick Boucher, D-Va., of the House Communications Subcommittee and Rep. Lee Terry, R-Neb., includes a…
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section that would ban agreements by rural local exchange carriers to pay free conference-call companies for sending traffic to their networks. Meanwhile, an item on the subject is on circulation at the FCC, and several states are also looking at it. Proposed rules would kill free conference calling services, FreeConference said in an e-mail to customers Wednesday. “Your Congressman needs to understand that eliminating your ability to communicate with your business and non-profit colleagues through free teleconferencing services is unfair, unacceptable and anti-competitive,” it said. “Additionally, large telephone companies are alleging that customers of free teleconferencing services are using these services for pornographic and controversial activities. We need you to tell Congress that this is simply not true.” Other free conference call providers have taken a more direct approach to fighting the proposed rules. They recently sent a study they had commissioned to the FCC and every member of Congress (CD March 9 p5).