The Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau has announced the comment dates for its request to "refresh the record" on the FCC's truth in billing rules. 

Related: O'Rielly Says It Is Time to Define Interconnected VoIP As Information Service 

Specifically, the bureau is seeking comment on the suggestion it should extend those rules to providers of interconnected VoIP phone service, which is the IP-based phone service employed by many cable operators in their service bundles, and whether it should require phone bills to separate out government-mandated charges. 

Comments are due Feb. 12 and reply comments March 13. 

The FTC has pulled the plug on a VoIP provider alleging it aided robocalls promoting a credit card interest scam that cost consumers millions of dollars. 

The vote was 5-0.

Related: House Approves Omnibus Robocall Bill 

At the FTC's request, a Texas federal court issued a temporary restraining order halting the operations of VoIP provider Globex Telecom and its Canadian incarnation, 9506276 Canada, Inc. The company's assets have also been frozen. 

Globex was cited for providing the means--the VoIP network--for Educare Centre Services, which the FTC sued in July 2019--with "the means to make calls to U.S. consumers, including illegal robocalls, to market Educare’s phony credit card interest rate reduction services."  

The FTC has amended the complaint, as has the state of Ohio, which is also suing, to add the VoIP provider as a defendant. 

“The FTC is determined to stop illegal robocallers, including by holding their service providers accountable,” said Andrew Smith, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, in a statement. “It is unlawful for VoIP service providers to knowingly provide substantial assistance to illegal robocallers, and we will not hesitate to take action against these companies.” 

It was not a case of targeting a VoIP provider simply as the conduit for the calls, which would raise larger issues of liability. The FTC and Ohio allege that Globex's president participated in the scheme and that he and the company, knew, or consciously chose not to know, that the scheme was illegal. 

NCTA-The Internet & Television Association, says it is time for the FCC to remove some of the interconnected VoIP (cable IP-based phone service) E911 customer notification requirements that stem from when the technology was new.

Currently, the FCC requires those internet phone service providers to obtain and retain the acknowledgement of every sub that they have been informed of, among other things, the impact of power loss and moving customer equipment on their VoIP service, and thus on their E911 capabilities. 

NCTA said the proliferation of interconnected VoIP means the market is no longer "nascent" and they have been advising customers of E911 capabilities for a decade. 

"Because VoIP providers have been informing customers...and customers understand what they are being told, there is no reason to continue to require that customers provide a one-time acknowledgement of such 911 information, or that providers bear the expense of administrating and storing records of those acknowledgements," NCTA told the FCC in comments on its biennial review of telecommunications rules and regs.

NCTA pointed out that when the FCC imposed a disclosure requirement on VoIP backup batteries--which are needed in power outages to keep the phone lines open--it included no similar subscriber acknowledgement provision.

NCTA said its members remain committed to ensuring their customers get the information, both at point of sale and afterwards, including on their web sites and in texts, so that repealing the one-time customer acknowledgement requirement won't adversely affect their customers.

NCTA also said the FCC should eliminate the 30-day notification requirement for applying for numbering resources directly from state commissions, which does not apply to other voice providers. The requirement dates from the 2015, when the FCC first allowed interconnected VoIP providers to apply directly for numbers rather than going through a local exchange carrier and wanted to monitor the process for numbering issues. 

"It has been nearly four years since that order was adopted and no numbering exhaust issues have arisen related to interconnected VoIP providers’ numbering requests," NCTA said. Then pointed to the fact that other providers have no such requirement. "Moreover, potential number exhaust is a function of the numbering resources requested in aggregate by all service providers, irrespective of technology."

Following a Report that a California VOiP provider kept millions of text messages and call records on unsecure database for months, Public Knowledge has called on the FCC to enforce CPNI (customer privacy network information) regs that protect the privacy of phone calls, and the Federal Trade Commission to do the same for text messages.

Harold Feld, senior VP at Public Knowledge pointed to Congress' nullification of an FCC online privacy framework (adopted under Democratic Chairman Tom Wheeler) as one reason for what he said was the recklessness with which telecommunications companies treat personal data.

"By now these companies know that there are almost no consequences for bad behavior," he said.

He also said the Federal Trade Commission was AWOL on the issue of call record and text privacy, even though with the FCC's classification of texts as an information service the FTC was the only agency now with authority to investigate text messaging privacy.

Feld piggybacked on a call earlier this week by Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), new chairman of the House Energy & Commerce Committee, for more transparency about how carriers handle their users' location information. “Chairman Pai should cooperate with Congressman Pallone and explain to the new House Energy and Commerce Committee what is it that the FCC is doing to protect the privacy of phone subscribers, as required by law," he said, adding that both the FCC and FTC need to get off the privacy sidelines and into the game.

An FCC spokesperson was unable to comment, saying it was "beyond the scope of allowable activities" for the Office of Media Relations during the shutdown.

Sprint is targeting Mediacom Communications in a lawsuit alleging that the cable operator has violated 13 Sprint patents tied to VoIP services, the Kansas City Business Journal reported.

Mediacom declined to comment on the suit, as it’s still reviewing the claim. Sprint filed the suit in a federal court in Delaware last Friday (December 1), the paper said, noting that Sprint is seeking damages yet to be determined along with a permanent injunction.

Sprint has had some success going after cable operators with patent suits. In October, Comcast disclosed in a 10-Q filing that it had paid $250 million to Sprint to settle a lawsuit stemming from claims that the MSO’s digital voice service was infringing on several Sprint patents.

RELATED: Comcast Settles Sprint Patent Spat

Time Warner Cable (now part of Charter Communications) lost its case with Sprint in a judgement handed down earlier this year. Sprint’s suit against Cable One was dismissed by the court in November 2016, according to court documents.

RELATED: Sprint Sues Comcast, TWC, Cox And Cable One Over VoIP Patents

Comcast paid $250 million to Sprint to settle a lawsuit stemming from claims by Sprint that the cable operator's digital voice service was infringing on  several Sprint patents. 

The amount was disclosed this week in a 10-Q filingspotted by thePhiladelphia Inquirer.

Sprint filed the original suit in December 2011 in a Kansas district court, alleging that Comcast’s Digital Voice/Xfinity Voice offering infringed on twelve Sprint patents covering various aspects of a telecommunications system.

The suit also targeted other MSOs, including Time Warner Cable (now part of Charter Communications), which lost the case in a judgement handed down earlier this year. Sprint’s suit against Cable One was dismissed by the court in November 2016, according to court documents.

RELATED: Sprint Sues Comcast, TWC, Cox And Cable One Over VoIP Patents

In the 10-Q, Comcast noted that in January 2017, the court favored Comcast on Sprint’s claims for infringement of two of the patents, with Sprint indicating in March that it would not proceed to trial on three of the patents.

However, a trial with respect to the four remaining patents, including the patent for which the court had already granted partial summary judgment to Sprint, was set to begin on October 23, 2017. 

Comcast and Sprint, the filing noted, entered into a settlement agreement on October 17 that dismissed all claims and resolves the disputes asserted in the remains of the case. Tied to the settlement, Comcast recorded a charge of $250 million in Q3 2017.

CenturyLink has snagged a potential $6 million-plus contract to provide Voice over Internet Protocol services to the General Services Administration.

The contract is actually for $1.3 million for the first year, with four, one-year options.

CenturyLink is rising in the ranks of government IT contractors--currently 34 on Washington Technology’s latest list of the top 100, according to CenturyLink.

In December, the telecom and broadband provider secured an $11.4 million contract (three years at $3.8 million per year) to provide VoIP service to the state offices of U.S. senators.

The contract could actually total $26 million if the government picks up the four, one-year options, for that contract.

Comcast Wholesale, a Denver-area unit of Comcast that runs a CDN and IP services, said it has added an added international IP voice termination that it will pitch to multichannel video programming distributors, ILECs, CLECs and over-the-top voice carriers.

The service, it said, will enable its partners to tap into Comcast’s network and to lower the costs of international calls and expand their footprint globally.  Its IP voice termination service sues the same networks and resources that Comcast Cable uses for its own voice traffic.

Comcast said it began to offer wholesale voice termination in 2012, and now is responsible for 2.5 billion minutes of voice traffic per month for customers, including several large North American MVPDs.  

“We are excited to offer our wholesale voice customers high-quality international IP voice termination. The new service can help them expand their footprint overseas, increase efficiencies and navigate new technologies,” Barry Tishgart, vice president at Comcast Wholesale, said in a statement.

Comcast Wholesale announced the new offering in tandem with the Pacific Telecommunications Council 2016 Conference, set for January 17-20, in Honolulu, Hawaii. 

Time Warner Cable has added 20 destinations to its Global Penny Phone Plan, spanning both landline and mobile numbers.

Joining the list are: Bahrain; Bermuda; Bhutan; Cambodia; Egypt; French Guiana; Guadeloupe; Kazakhstan; Kuwait; Macau; Namibia; Netherlands Antilles;  Nigeria; Paraguay; Reunion Island; San Marino;  Thailand;  Uzbekistan; Vatican City; and Vietnam.

The MSO’s Global Penny Plan now covers 50 destinations. The offering starts at $2.95 per month, plus a penny for each minute of calling to countries covered by the plan.

TWC said it has also made enhancements to its phone offering , noting that TWC Phone Unlimited customers can make unlimited calls to 34 countries, including the U.S., Canada, Mexico, China, India, Hong Kong, Puerto Rico, Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands and most of Europe.

Time Warner Cable said it has expanded its TWC Phone Unlimited to include unlimited calling to 29 European countries.

The expansion of the plan to Europe includes all 28 countries that comprise the European Union (EU), such as Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and the United Kingdom, plus Norway.  That expansion  builds on unlimited calls to anywhere in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, China, India, Hong Kong, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

With the newest countries factored in, subs on the plan can make unlimited calls to 34 countries, TWC said.

TWC ended the second quarter with 5.6 million residential voice subscribers. 

Time Warner Cable has added five destinations to its Global Penny Phone Plan’s geographic calling area -- Bangladesh, Ecuador, Israel, Pakistan and South Korea.

With the expansion, customers on the plan can access penny-per-minute rates to 55 countries, to both landline and mobile numbers, as well as “competitive international calling rates” to more than 200 countries.

TWC Phone customers can add Global Penny Phone Plan for an additional $2.95 per month, then pay a penny for each minute of calling to countries that are in the plan. Customers must have a TWC Phone plan before subscribing to international plans.

“We’re excited to add five new destinations to TWC’s Global Penny Phone Plan calling area for our Phone customers,” said Jeff Lindsay, Time Warner Cable’s group VP and GM of Home Phone, in a statement. “Customers can pay as they go without worrying about overage charges and have a consistent, clear and reliable phone connection.”

TWC said it has also made enhancements to its phone product to help customers reach others on a global basis. Its  $10 per month TWC Nationwide Unlimited Phone Plan customers, for example, now lets customers call anywhere in the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Mexico, China, Hong Kong and India.

Comcast said it has added five countries to Xfinity Voice Unlimited, the operator’s most popular home phone service plan: Mexico, India, China, Singapore, and South Korea.

Comcast is adding those contries to the plan today for customers in its Central Division, which includes Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Miami, and Nashville. Next week, it will expand it to its Northeast Division (14 states from Maine to Virginia and Washington, D.C.), and will bring it to Comcast’s remaining phone subs by the end of August.

Comcast said nearly all of its 11 million-plus residential phone subs take the Xfinity Voice Unlimited plan, which also allows unlimited calling to Canada, Puerto Rico, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands, and American Samoa.

In addition to accessing service on traditional home phones, Comcast Xfinity Voice  also supports the Xfinity Connect app, which lets subs use up to four virtual phone numbers to make and receive calls and texts for no added cost via smartphone, tablets and other WiFi-connected devices. Subs can also use the app to check email, read or listen to home voicemail, and access contacts.

“Staying in touch with family and friends is important, regardless of geography. But sometimes even the shortest phone conversations can get expensive,” said Patti Loyack, Comcast Cable’s VP of communications, in a statement. “We hope the changes we’re making to Xfinity Voice Unlimited helps more people stay connected for less money.”

“We applaud Comcast’s decision to add India, China, Hong Kong, and Singapore to the Xfinity Voice Unlimited home phone plan. Although the Asian-American community is the fastest growing racial group in the United States, many of us still have family and friends in our countries of origin,” added Carl Hum, VP of policy and programs for Asian Americans Advancing Justice. “Comcast’s expanded plan will help our community keep in touch and connected without spending on calling cards or incurring wireless charges.”

Time Warner Cable said it has India to its list of international destinations included in its Unlimited Home Phone National calling plan.

Under the calling plan, calls to India, the operator said. are treated the same as long-distance calls anywhere in the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Mexico, China and Hong Kong.

Noting that one third of all international calls from the U.S. are placed to India, Jeff Lindsay, GM for Home Phone at TWC, said this enhancement offers tremendous benefits and savings to anyone who calls India to stay connected to loved ones.

“Calling friends and family in India is now 100 percent hassle-free – no calling cards, no pins, no per minute charges and no contracts,” Jeff Lindsay, GM for home phone at TWC, said in a statement, noting that one-third of all international calls form the U.S. are placed to India. “For one low monthly price, customers of TWC’s Unlimited Home Phone National Plan get free and unlimited calling to any Indian landline or mobile number, anytime of the day or night.”

TWC’s Home Phone National Plan also includes features such as Caller ID, Call Waiting, 3-Way Calling, Selective Call Acceptance, Selective Call Blocking, Selective Call Forwarding, Answer Anywhere, and Enhanced 911.

TWC’s Phone 2 Go app, the operator added, lets home phone subs text, and place voice and video calling to India at no added cost using their smart phone and a WiFi connection.