The CommLaw Group recently published an article detailing legal issues and inequalities associated with the Federal Communications Commission’s Systems Integrator Exemption to the Universal Service Fund program.  The article was published on TMCnet’s TechZone 360 site and is available here:  

Principles of Neutrality Missing from FCC Systems Integrator Exemption Rules

The article discusses the Petition for Declaratory Ruling filed by The Commpliance Group on March 17, 2015, seeking a declaration that the Systems Integrator Exemption applies to the provision and resale of I-VoIP services.  In its Petition, The Commpliance Group asserts the SI Exemption should apply to I-VoIP services because the provisioning of a communications service to a customer is the same whether the systems integrator offers I-VoIP or traditional telephone service. The Commpliance Group also asked the FCC to clarify whether systems integrators providing I-VoIP and qualifying for the SI Exemption must register and file FCC Forms 499; and must contribute to the non-USF Title II programs.