Updated December 4, 2025.  Originally posted November 13, 2025

At the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC’s) Open Meeting in late October, the agency unanimously adopted a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that proposes to end certain legacy interconnection obligations of Local Exchange Carriers (LECs) to accelerate the transition to all Internet Protocol (IP) networks.

Currently, certain LECs are required to maintain legacy time-division multiplexing (TDM) network equipment pursuant to the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (the Act) and related FCC rules. According to the NPRM, these LEC-specific obligations are impeding the transition to next-generation communication networks, which are reputed to be more resilient, flexible, and feature-rich.  The NRPM aims to eliminate certain rules and establish a new FCC regulatory framework that would facilitate the transition to all-IP based networks, including for voice services.

The NRPM seeks comment on a number of questions, including those relating to:

  • the current state of interconnection, both for legacy voice services and for iVoIP providers;
  • a proposal to remove the LEC-specific interconnection obligations as of December 31, 2028, by forbearing from section 251(c)(2) of the Act and aspects of 251(c)(6) of the Act relating to LEC-specific requirements for physical collocation of interconnection equipment;
  • additional FCC rules or statutory frameworks affected by eliminating these certain LEC-specific interconnection obligations;
  • whether and how the FCC should modify its interconnection regulatory framework for iVoIP services; and
  • whether the FCC would need to classify iVoIP service as a “telecommunications service” to set rules for IP-to-IP interconnection for VoIP, or if it can rely on other sources of authority.

In short, the NPRM raises major questions about the future of voice calling in the United States.  The turnoff of the TDM network in the U.S. will be a major undertaking, but the FCC has signaled a willingness to contend with the hard questions surrounding that transition.    

Initial comments may be filed on or before December 26, 2025 and reply comments may be filed on or before January 26, 2026, as set forth in the Federal Register.

Photo of Yaron Dori Yaron Dori

Yaron Dori has over 25 years of experience advising technology, telecommunications, media, life sciences, and other types of companies on their most pressing business challenges. He is a former chair of the firm’s technology, communications and media practices and currently serves on the…

Yaron Dori has over 25 years of experience advising technology, telecommunications, media, life sciences, and other types of companies on their most pressing business challenges. He is a former chair of the firm’s technology, communications and media practices and currently serves on the firm’s eight-person Management Committee.

Yaron’s practice advises clients on strategic planning, policy development, transactions, investigations and enforcement, and regulatory compliance.

Early in his career, Yaron advised telecommunications companies and investors on regulatory policy and frameworks that led to the development of broadband networks. When those networks became bidirectional and enabled companies to collect consumer data, he advised those companies on their data privacy and consumer protection obligations. Today, as new technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) are being used to enhance the applications and services offered by such companies, he advises them on associated legal and regulatory obligations and risks. It is this varied background – which tracks the evolution of the technology industry – that enables Yaron to provide clients with a holistic, 360-degree view of technology policy, regulation, compliance, and enforcement.

Yaron represents clients before federal regulatory agencies—including the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and the Department of Commerce (DOC)—and the U.S. Congress in connection with a range of issues under the Communications Act, the Federal Trade Commission Act, and similar statutes. He also represents clients on state regulatory and enforcement matters, including those that pertain to telecommunications, data privacy, and consumer protection regulation. His deep experience in each of these areas enables him to advise clients on a wide range of technology regulations and key business issues in which these areas intersect.

With respect to technology and telecommunications matters, Yaron advises clients on a broad range of business, policy and consumer-facing issues, including:

  • Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things;
  • Broadband deployment and regulation;
  • IP-enabled applications, services and content;
  • Section 230 and digital safety considerations;
  • Equipment and device authorization procedures;
  • The Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA);
  • Customer Proprietary Network Information (CPNI) requirements;
  • The Cable Privacy Act
  • Net Neutrality; and
  • Local competition, universal service, and intercarrier compensation.

Yaron also has extensive experience in structuring transactions and securing regulatory approvals at both the federal and state levels for mergers, asset acquisitions and similar transactions involving large and small FCC and state communication licensees.

With respect to privacy and consumer protection matters, Yaron advises clients on a range of business, strategic, policy and compliance issues, including those that pertain to:

  • The FTC Act and related agency guidance and regulations;
  • State privacy laws, such as the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and California Privacy Rights Act, the Colorado Privacy Act, the Connecticut Data Privacy Act, the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act, and the Utah Consumer Privacy Act;
  • The Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA);
  • Location-based services that use WiFi, beacons or similar technologies;
  • Digital advertising practices, including native advertising and endorsements and testimonials; and
  • The application of federal and state telemarketing, commercial fax, and other consumer protection laws, such as the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), to voice, text, and video transmissions.

Yaron also has experience advising companies on congressional, FCC, FTC and state attorney general investigations into various consumer protection and communications matters, including those pertaining to social media influencers, digital disclosures, product discontinuance, and advertising claims.

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Photo of Matthew DelNero Matthew DelNero

Matt DelNero works with companies in the telecommunications, technology and media sectors—advising them in policy development, regulatory compliance, and commercial transactions, among other settings.

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Kiara Ortiz

Kiara Ortiz is an associate in the firm’s Washington, DC office. She is a member of the Technology and Communications Regulation Practice Group.

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