[Asterisk-biz] Canadian Association of VoIP Providers

[John Lange]

My apologies for the cross-posting.

If you are a business or individual providing Voice over IP services in
Canada then we encourage you to read this email carefully otherwise
please disregard.

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As you are most likely aware, the CRTC has undertaken the roll of
regulating VoIP services in Canada and is currently conducting hearings
with the goal of putting in place regulatory requirements for all VoIP
providers.

Specifically, the CRTC's CISC VoIP 911 working group
( http://www.crtc.gc.ca/cisc/eng/cisf3e4_20.htm ) is very actively
looking at what regulations to put in place in order to implement E911
services for VoIP.

The recommendations of this committee will have direct impact on your
business. Currently this working group is is largely comprised by the
Local Exchange Carriers (ILECs & CLECs) with representation from the
large VoIP providers (Primus & Vonage). To date only a very few smaller
VoIP providers are participating.

Subsequently, much of the discussion is oriented around solutions
designed to work in the traditional telco world. Depending on your
companies infrastructure these solutions may be very expensive or
completely impossible for your business to implement.

Some members of the working group are even of the position that VoIP
service be abolished altogether.

Your companies direct participation in the hearings is the best way to
have an impact. However, we acknowledge that not all companies have the
time and/or resources to fully participate lengthy public hearings.

It is with this in mind we propose the formation of a Canadian industry
association for VoIP providers and we invite you to participate.

The short term goal is to contact and organize Canadian VoIP providers
into a formal association.

Longer term the association will work towards the following goals:

- Keep VoIP providers informed about current regulatory issues
- Ensuring VoIP providers have a place at the CRTC table
- Develop industry recommendations
- Communicate industry recommendations to the CRTC working group
- Communicate industry positions to the media
- Other (to be determined by the association)

At the outset it is envisioned that this group would work in the
following way:

- No membership fee
- Regular updates via email list
- Frequent Conference calls
- No face-to-face meetings (no travel)
- Development of an Industry web site
- In-person representation at each CRTC meeting (The CRTC working group
meets monthly in a different province each month. We hope to have at
least one member representative attend each meeting.)

To voice your support (or opposition) for the formation of this group
please contact me directly either by email or telephone (contact
information in the signature).

It is important that you do not delay. CISC working group
recommendations to the CRTC are forthcoming.

You will be contacted with details on how to participate in the
formation of this association. Our intention is to hold our first
conference call as early as possible (early next week).

NOTE: No web site or association material yet exists because the group
has not been officially formed and named. This will be one of the first
items of business for the new group.

Regards,
-- 
John Lange
President OpenIT ltd. www.Open-IT.ca (204) 885 0872
VoIP, Web services, Linux Consulting, Server Co-Location