[JURIST] The Federal Communications Commission Tuesday exempted emerging Internet-based phone services from regulation by state authorities, a decision expected to increase the services' growth. Phone regulation has traditionally been left to the states, but the FCC ruled that Voice over Internet Protocol services, such as Vonage, are not linked to particular states. Opponents have argued that eliminating state regulation would mean the services would not be required to offer 911 service or follow consumer fraud laws. The FCC has said it will regulate both concerns nationally. Read the FCC press release [PDF] and statements from Commissioners Powell, Abernathy, and Copps and Adelstein [all in PDF]. The FCC has more on VoIP technology. Bloomberg has more.