*Pages 1--1 from  Microsoft Word - 44231.doc*
 NEWS  Federal  Communications  Commission  445  12  th  Street,  S.  W.  Washington,  D.  C.  20554  This  is  an  unofficial  announcement  of  Commission  action.  Release  of  the  full  text  of  a  Commission  order  constitutes  official  action.  See  MCI  v.  FCC.  515  F  2d  385  (D.  C.  Circ  1974).  News  Media  Information  202  /  418-  0500  Internet:  http://  www.  fcc.  gov  TTY:  1-  888-  835-  5322 
 FOR  IMMEDIATE  RELEASE  NEWS  MEDIA  CONTACTS  November  26,  2004  Richard  Diamond:  202-  418-  0513 
 Mark  Wigfield:  202-  418-  0253 


 CHAIRMAN  POWELL  ISSUES  STATEMENT  ON  SBC’S  TIPToP  SERVICE 
 FCC  Chairman  Michael  K.  Powell  issued  the  following  statement  concerning  SBC’s  new  interstate  connectivity  service,  known  as  TIPToP. 


 “SBC’s  interstate  tariff  for  TIPToP  service  comes  at  time  when  VoIP  services  are  continuing  to  grab  consumer  attention  by  offering  more  choice,  lower  prices,  greater  value,  and 
 enhanced  features.  I  am  committed  to  ensuring  that  this  Commission  avoids  any  action  that  might  slow  the  IP-  services  revolution. 


 “Against  this  backdrop,  the  Commission,  state  utility  commissions,  and  the  courts  all  are  considering  the  question  of  whether  legacy  access  charges  should  apply  to  VoIP  services. 
 SBC’s  tariff  makes  clear  that  TIPToP  is  not  a  mandatory  offering  and  VoIP  providers  may  continue  to  utilize  alternatives  to  exchange  their  traffic.  Should  we  conclude  that  this  tariff  is 
 being  used  to  justify  the  imposition  of  traditional  tariffed  access  charges  on  VoIP  providers  or  to  discriminate  against  SBC’s  competitors,  the  Commission  will  take  appropriate  action  including, 
 but  not  limited  to,  initiating  an  investigation  of  SBC’s  interstate  tariff  and  any  other  tariff  that  proposes  similar  terms.  Nothing  in  this  tariff  should  be  interpreted  to  force  a  set  of 
 compensation  relationships  on  VoIP  providers  and  their  connecting  carriers  either  at  this  Commission  or  in  other  venues. 


 “SBC’s  tariff  arrives  at  the  Commission  while  we  have  before  us  three  proceedings  that  raise  issues  related  to  the  charges  applicable  to  VoIP  services  –  a  petition  filed  by  Level  3,  our 
 larger  intercarrier  compensation  proceeding  and  a  rulemaking  on  IP-  enabled  services.  I  look  forward  to  considering  these  pending  proceedings.” 


 -FCC- 
1