The Senate Commerce Committee hearing on VoIP scheduled for Wed. ...

The Senate Commerce Committee hearing on VoIP scheduled for Wed. morning will likely feature a debate on how to apply Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA) standards to VoIP. Laura Parsky, Justice Dept. deputy asst. attorney gen., and James Dempsey, Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT) exec. dir., will comprise the first panel. A CDT spokesman said Dempsey will argue that the FBI must go to Congress for authority to apply CALEA to VoIP services. “The text of CALEA specifically excludes broadband Internet access,” the CDT spokesman said. He said the FBI has other means in which to get information from Internet services. The CDT spokesman also said Dempsey would likely address the costs that CALEA places on providers, arguing it would be too heavy a burden on the broadband services. The 2nd panel will feature: (1) Tom Rutledge, Cablevision COO; David Jones, Spartanburg (S.C.) emergency services dir.; Stan Wise, Ga. Public Service Comr.; Jeff Pulver, Pulver.com CEO; Arturo Macias, Wheat State Telephone Co. gen. manager. The hearing is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. in Room 253 Russell Bldg.