House committee passes VoIP E-911, broadband survey bills

The House telecom subcommittee passed bills to improve enhanced 911 service for Voice over Internet Protocol subscribers and to require a comprehensive census of broadband availability in the United States.
“The E-911 legislation is designed to ensure that a consumer calling 911 in an emergency from an Internet phone, using VoIP service, can do so with a degree of confidence matching that of traditional phone service and wireless service,” said Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass.), chairman of the Commerce subcommittee on telecommunications and the Internet. “The committee print for the Broadband Census of America Act reflects the growing consensus-if not unanimity-around the fact that current data collection methods used by the Federal Communications Commission are inadequate and highly flawed.”
The broadband data collection bill also directs the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to establish a grant program to assist local communities in assessing their broadband capabilities.