This is a letter written to Governor Brown in support of SB 1161 which would prevent the regulation of VoIP in California

1.
August 27, 2012
Hon. Edmund G. Brown, Jr.
Governor, State of California
State Capitol
Sacramento, CA 95184
Dear Governor Brown,
We are writing to urge you to sign SB 1161, to continue the state’s current policy – first
enunciated by the Public Utilities Commission in 2005 -- not to regulate Voice over Internet
Protocol (VOIP) services or other Internet Protocol-based communications.
Vastly more affordable and efficient than the traditional phone network because of their reliance
on the open architecture of the Internet, VoIP and other IP-based technologies are dramatically
reducing capital investment requirements and lowering barriers to market entry in the
communications sector. Because of the hard work of entrepreneurs, dozens of VoIP companies
in California are today delivering compelling new services. A sector formerly based largely on
monopoly has been replaced by a flourishing, competitive ecosystem characterized by rapid
innovation.
VoIP has delivered a wide array of choices and benefits for consumers, including lower prices or
free services like video calls, enabling consumers to connect affordably with family and friends
in other states or countries.
The new products and companies enabled by these technologies have created California jobs.
The latest job creator is the apps economy, generated by the industry that creates new products,
programs and services for your mobile devices. In the past four years, this industry – which did
not exist in 2006 – has created over 110,000 new jobs in this state.
Entrepreneurs who innovate and challenge the conventional way of doing things always face a
big challenge. When the regulatory climate involves long, drawn-out PUC proceedings whose
outcome is highly uncertain, the task of convincing investors to risk funding a new idea becomes
immeasurably more difficult.
SB 1161 will preserve California’s leadership in consumer protection and privacy, while
providing the certainty needed to sustain investment, job growth and California’s economic
leadership in this important sector.
We appreciate your attention to this issue and urge you to promptly sign this important
legislation into law.

2. John Chambers John Doerr
Co-Chair, Executive Council Co-Chair, Executive Council
TechNet TechNet
Chairman & CEO Partner
Cisco Kleiner Perkins Caufield Byers
Rey Ramsey Tony Bates
President & CEO President
TechNet Skype Division of Microsoft
Bryan Martin Rich Foreman
Chairman & CEO Chief Executive Officer
8x8, Inc. Apptology
Robert Farnsworth Marc Lefar
Chief Executive Officer Chief Executive Officer
Sonnet Technologies Vonage
Randy Kremlacek Don Means
President Chief Executive Officer
TeleDynamic Communications Digital Village

3. Monty Ferdowsi Eric Stang
President & CEO Chief Executive Officer
Broadcore Ooma
Craig Jerabeck Mark Swanson
President & CEO CEO
5LINX & Globalinx Enterprise Telovations, Inc
Asghar Ghassemy Armen Martirosyan
CEO CEO
Univoip, Inc BluIP
cc: Gareth Elliott, Legislative Affairs Secretary
Nancy McFadden, Executive Secretary for Legislation, Appointments & Policy
Michael Rossi, Senior Advisor for Jobs and Business Development
Senator Alex Padilla