FCC to Investigate Text Message & Short Code Blocking Legality
January 16, 2008 11:49 AM | Interesting | Comments (0)
| The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) wants to determine whether cell phone text messages and short codes are covered by non-discrimination provisions of the telecom act. Consumer groups asked the FCC last December to rule that the law forbids mobile phone carriers from blocking the assignment of short codes used by organizations for text messaging to constituents. The petition was spurred by Verizon’s initial failure to supply NARAL Pro Choice America with short codes to allow the organization to send text messages to its members. Gigi Sohn, president of Public Knowledge stated “We are grateful to Chairman Martin and his colleagues for starting the public debate on what rights consumers will have in an increasingly complex technological future. These inquiries will go a long way to setting out a road map for determining who will control the Internet, and whether texting will be seen in the same light as wireless voice services. |  |
We look forward to participating in these dockets, and we anticipate that at the end of the day, consumers will have more control over their Internet and wireless experiences than they do now.”
The petition by Public Knowledge, Free Press and others ask that text messaging and short codes are subject to the Commission’s non-discrimination rules. Comments are due Feb. 13, 2008 with replies due March 14, 2008. The petition was spurred by Verizon’s initial failure to supply NARAL Pro Choice America with short codes to allow the organization to send text messages to its members.
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