Telephony Online reports that, in the wake of the Vonage decision [PDF], both the Bells and the FCC are interested in looking at new regulations and regulatory structures for VoIP (Bells: FCC needs to take quick action on VoIP).
Kevin Werbach, on his Werblog, is concerned that the FCC will create another set of untenable set of definitions for VoIP regulation (Moving forward on VOIP). In particular, his initial thoughts are that the below distinction won't work:
Last week, Christopher Libertelli, senior legal advisor to FCC Chairman Michael Powell, speaking at the U.S. Telecom Association conference in Las Vegas, said the commission could develop three sets of rules based on the different methods of provisioning VoIP services: via private networks; over networks that touch the PSTN; and via evolving peer-to-peer networks.
Werbach should know, while at the FCC he was involved in developing the distinction used in the Vonage case between phone-to-phone and computer-to-computer calls.
In any case, I would have to agree that this initial stab at new definitions by the FCC doesn't seem at all promising. We need to start thinking about telecommunications regulation in whole new ways.
UPDATE 0800 PT
C|Net News is reporting that Time Warner is planning to expand its cable-based VoIP system from one to three or four cities by the end of the year (Net telephony grows on Time Warner).