Minnesota can't regulate internet calls

The 8th. Circuit Court of Appeals Tuesday upheld a lower court decision that a Minnesota utility could not regulate internet calls in the same manner that it does regular telephone service. (Vonage Holdings Corp. v. Minnesota Public Utilities Commission)

The FCC voted 5-0 on Nov. 9th. for a petition by Vonage asking that its product be declared an interstate service. Further information there is available through Tech Law Journal.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Supreme Court in a surprise move said it would hear a key telecom case (FCC v. Brand X Internet Services), which could decide whether broadband cable should be regulated as an unregulated information service, or as a telephone-like telecommunications service that can be required to make its lines available to competitors.