The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requires VoIP providers to comply with the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (CALEA) and make contributions to the Universal Service Fund, which assists low-income customers with monthly telephone costs.
In 2005, the FCC also began requiring VoIP providers to allow 911 emergency call abilities. However, emergency calls are handled slightly differently with VoIP providers than with traditional telephone services.