Do VoIP providers have to follow the same rules as traditional telephone companies?
Currently in Ohio, VoIP providers are not required to follow the rules and regulations that traditional telephone companies must follow. For example, today, VoIP providers do not have to comply with the Commission’s billing requirements, disconnection and complaint procedures, or service and repair standards. However, a VoIP provider may agree to follow some or all of these rules. You should check with potential VoIP providers, before you sign up for service, on how they will handle such things as billing disputes, disconnection, and repairs. The PUCO and Federal Communications Commission (FCC) are currently investigating whether or not VoIP providers should be subject to regulation and, if so, the relevant regulations that should reasonably apply.
