[IP] CONCERNS ARISE AS INTERNET CALLERS PICK OWN AREA CODES

[David Farber <dave@farber.net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Dewayne Hendricks <dewayne@warpspeed.com>
Date: July 8, 2004 11:19:10 AM EDT
To: Dewayne-Net Technology List <dewayne-net@warpspeed.com>
Subject: [Dewayne-Net] CONCERNS ARISE AS INTERNET CALLERS PICK OWN AREA  
CODES
Reply-To: dewayne@warpspeed.com

CONCERNS ARISE AS INTERNET CALLERS PICK OWN AREA CODES

Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) is raising worrisome questions for
law-enforcement officials, regulators and emergency agencies in part
because it may accelerate the end of location-based phone numbers as we
know them. The process of freeing phone numbers from fixed locations
started with the spread of cellphones over the past decade. With  
Internet
phone service, callers from anywhere in the U.S. or around the world can
adopt nearly any U.S. area code they like, a prospect that has already
created a run on desirable area codes such as Manhattan's 212 and  
Beverly
Hills's 310. Even international callers could obtain US exchanges for
savings in long distance bills and allowing offshore companies to fake
offices and legitimacy with a U.S. area code. But law enforcement  
officials
can't tap into VoIP calls due to both technological limitations and
regulatory uncertainty and VoIP systems are not connected to 911  
emergency
services.

[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Christopher Rhoads at
christopher.rhoads@wsj.com]
<http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB108923965170657887,00.html? 
mod=todays_us_marketplace>


Archives at: <http://Wireless.Com/Dewayne-Net>
Weblog at: <http://weblog.warpspeed.com>

-------------------------------------
To manage your subscription, go to
 http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=ip

Archives at: http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/