VON Coalition 2002

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VON Coalition 2002
Advocate and Educate
Michael S. Jablon Director, Membership
Development www.von.org mjablon_at_hotmail.com 203-
322-0485
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Representing Industry Concerns

• Government regulation and public policy will have
  detrimental impact on our industry unless we can
  influence direction.
• Unfortunately, most VON companies dont have the
  resources or know-how to influence elected
  representatives and government agencies.
• Since founded in 1996 by Jeff Pulver, the VON
  Coalition has established an influential position
  with policymakers positively impacting regulatory
  direction and educating members on strategic
  business issues.

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Activities and Results (1 of 3)

• Helped deter FCC efforts to characterize VoIP as
  basic telecommunication service. Analyzed FCC
  Universal Service Fund program modifications and
  advised members on potential business impact.
• Helped defeat legislation (HR1291) that would
  have regulated and imposed access charges on VoIP
  providers.

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Activities and Results (2 of 3)

• Helped deter ITU efforts to 1) identify and
  measure VoIP traffic and 2) subject VoIP traffic
  to international accounting rates.
• Provided input to FCC as it prepared to advise
  Congress on universal service issues, that
  regulation of VoIP services is problematic and
  unnecessary.
• Persuaded FCC to reject ACTA Petition (1996)
  seeking to regulate software providers as
  carriers.

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Activities and Results (3 of 3)

• Averted federal disability regulation on VoIP
  providers by educating FCC and advocacy groups
  about voluntary industry efforts to ensure
  access.
• Prevailed in Colorado and Nebraska PUC cases in
  which USWest sought to impose per-minute access
  charges on VoIP services.
• Successfully rebutted BellSouths
  characterization of VoIP as a telecommunications
  service subject to access charges in South
  Carolina.

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Current Issues, threats and Plans (1 of 3)

• Universal Service FCC proposing to change the
  mechanism by which carriers make contributions to
  the federal Universal Service Fund changing from
  revenue-based to connection-based contribution
  system ILECs and wireless carriers rather than
  IXCs will pay
• Issue Telecommunications classification
  triggers carrier regulation and assessments,
  including universal service payments. Current
  proposal does not change classification.
• GSA Report state PUC USF proceedings
• Plan Consider support of FCC proposed change

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Current Issues, threats and Plans (2 of 3)

• ITU/European Commission Development of a new
  regulatory framework
• Threat New framework subjects VoIP providers to
  regulatory burdens, including payment of
  international accounting rates
• Plans Continued participation in both informal
  and formal venues to foreclose or minimize
  regulation
• ITU-D considering questions concerning Internet
  telephony and transition to packet networks
• Looking for US input and leadership
• Refocus debate from potential harm to benefits

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Current Issues, threats and Plans (3 of 3)

• CALEA Expansion of wiretap authority to digital
  networks - Communications Assistance Law
  Enforcement Act
• Threat FCC implementation imposes regulatory
  requirements, and significant costs, on VoIP
  providers
• FCC has expressed concern about the ability of
  soft switches to comply with standards for packet
  networks
• Plan Monitor and participate in efforts to
  develop industry standards applicable to packet
  data transmissions

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Current Members

• Sponsoring Members
• Intel Corporation
• Pulver.Com
• Participating Members
• iBasis
• Level(3)
• Polycom
• ITXC

• Microsoft Corporation
• Net2Phone
• Sonus Networks, Inc.
• Sylantro Systems

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Membership Benefits

• Continued advocacy in the regulatory and policy
  environments assuring an effective industry
  voice.
• Critical regulatory and policy information that
  may impact business performance and investor
  confidence.
• Industry recognition.

Note VON Coalition is a member led
organization. Your membership helps ensure a
prosperous future for our industry.
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Membership Obligations

• Agreement to have company identified as a member.
• Availability to support industry positions with
  email and letter writing campaigns and
  participating in organized events.
• Recruit new members.
• All members are welcome to participate in
  leadership activities, member meetings and
  conference calls.

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Membership Levels

• Sponsorship
• 20,000 annually
• Participant
• 6,000 annually
• Revenue 10m or greater or 100 or more employees
• 2,000 annually
• Revenue Less than 10m or less than 100 employees

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Membership Program

• Sponsoring Members
• Prominent listing on von.org and other VON
  Coalition communications(events, mailings, press
  releases, etc).
• Right to use VON Coalition Sponsor logo on
  website and other marketing programs.
• Participating Members
• Listing on von.org and other VON Coalition
  communications(events, mailings, press releases,
  etc).
• Right to use VON Coalition Participant logo on
  website and other marketing programs.
• All Members
• Monthly conference calls.
• One vote for each member organization.
• email correspondences and member meetings.

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VON Coalition

• Representing and protecting the VON Industry in
  regulatory and policy maker debates.

VON.ORG For more information, please
check www.von.org