With three million users in the U.S. and a rapidly-growing group of partners in its new affiliates program, Skype Technologies is facing a unique challenge presented by the FCC's order that VoIP providers must provide access to emergency 911 numbers.
The Europe-based firm is positioning itself as an "enhancement" service to existing telephone service and not as a "replacement" service. "We're an enhancement like fax," said Kelly Larabee, a Skype spokeswoman in the U.S. "You should know that Skype is not an emergency service."
Skype officials have met with the FCC to explain its position and the VoIP company has lauded the FCC order. In a statement, Skype said: "Skype commends the FCC for moving quickly to ensure that users of VoIP who expect 911 service get 911 service. Skype also applauds the FCC's effort to make sure that the 911 service will work by recognizing that many parties, not just VoIP providers, play a role in opening the existing 911 system to new technologies."
Larabee said Skype realizes it will be subject to FCC provisions and favors solutions that will be wider and also cover the growing firm's worldwide audience of nearly 40 million. She noted that Skype's service " as well as the service of other Internet telephone firms " would fail if and when the underlying broadband connections fail or lose power.
Larabee added that there are ways Skype could enhance emergency services. For instance, text messages or e-mails could help persons in distress to communicate in some situations.
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