FAQ: Why the FCC is targeting VoIP 911 calls

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After a lot of resistance, the four Bell operators recently opened their 911 infrastructure to VoIP operators. The second problem is much thornier. Because they can be made over any Internet connection, the location of VoIP 911 callers can be difficult to determine.

If I have VoIP, what can I do to call 911?
Nearly every Net phone operator suggests keeping a traditional phone line or a cell phone handy just for emergencies.

Does every VoIP service come with 911?
Most now do, in some form or another.

Do you have to sign up for 911?
The service is automatically provided, but not until operators collect your address.

What does Skype, the world's largest VoIP provider, say about the issue?
Skype doesn't offer 911 connectivity and "it's very proactive in communicating that to users," said Skype spokeswoman Kelly Larabee. Anything's possible, but it would seem incredibly difficult and prohibitively expensive for Skype to set up a system in which every call to 911 is routed to the most appropriate emergency-response location. It's a matter of logistics. Skype would have to know the names and addresses of hundreds of millions of people located around the globe, then ensure each and every one's location was updated whenever they moved. No VoIP operator has ever tried that before.

Still, on Thursday Skype said it is "working with the FCC to develop appropriate emergency response solutions for IP-based communications services."

What does Vonage say?
Vonage, the No. 1 VoIP operator in the U.S. with 650,000 customers, is among the closest to meeting the FCC mandate. It's already offering fully compliant 911 service to its handful of customers in Rhode Island, and plans to introduce a fully featured 911 service over the next six months.

What's the difference between the two companies' systems?
Skype's software, once downloaded onto your PC, cell phone or handheld computer, allows you to freely converse with anyone else who also is running that software. The company charges extra to send and receive calls from traditional phones and other premium services.

Vonage is a commercial U.S.-based service provider that sells unlimited phone calls to any kind of phone for a flat monthly fee. As a result, it already is tapped into the traditional phone network.

Do cable phone services offer 911?
Cox Communications is the only cable operator that meets any mandate the FCC is likely to create. Time Warner Cable and Comcast both would, but for 911 calls made from the customer's original service address.

[frankz00]

Okay, now the real reason....

They want to suck the life out of a growing business which is what they have tendency to do!

[lfagius]

Your reasoning is asinine

The reason for the FCC's actions is that local governments, running the 911 & Enhanced 911 systems, have been already complaining about not being able to get exact locations from cell phone users and the recent amount of VoIP service users only made the problem, in the eyes of the emergency operators, worse.

In my suburb of Detroit, MI, we have the choice of two cable providers, and both offer VoIP service. Neither is 911 compliant, and I won't use VoIP until it is.

[dlmtechnology]

Has nobody thought of this yet?

I can't believe that no VoIP company has thought to have a
section in each customer's record that allows the user to enter
"911 Information" such as Address, Name, and Local Emergency
Numbers that get reported to the 911 call centers (I'm not an
expert but I assume that when u dial 911 it actually gets
forwarded to a local telephone number that u can dial in the
form of (xxx) xxx-xxxx, just like when u can reach information
at 1-xxx-555-1212 instead of dialing 411)

Maybe I'm stupidfying the process but wouldn't that be the
logicial solution? It may put the burden on the consumer to
update his 911 information if he/she moves but that is easily
solved when u tell your VoIP that u have moved.

[caholman]

Some facts to answer your question

This is not how 911 works. There is an internal infrastructure, with devices called Selective Routers that route 911 calls based on area code. The Big Bells control all access to SR's, except in Rhode Island, where there is already a workable voip 911 solution in place.

Your solution is in place for some providers. The problem is that 911 centers and certain state district attorneys believe customers cannot be relied on to know about this or to enter this data correctly and/or to update it when they move. They have a good point, since many of the reported failures in VoIP 911 have likely been due to customers not filling out the forms properly or in a timely manner.

[willcasp]

Already solved....

Assumption: VoIP service is unreliable and on a best effor basis, you still need a land line for reliable 911 service.

There is a device on the market called the Sipura 3000. You plug your ethernet connection, phone connection, and land line connection into this unit.

If the power fails, or your VoIP service fails, all calls made on phones plugged in to the unit are automatically routed to your land line.

The device is easily programmable to route any call over either land line of VoIP. Example, route all calls that are three digits long and end in 11 over the land line (i.e. 911, 411).

Problem solved.

Even Easier and far more reliable....

For those using VOiP hardware. Simply chip the VOiP hardware exactly like cell phone manufacturers are required to do. When 911 is dialed, the phone reports it's SID and lattitude and longitude to the call center.

No more wondering, no more relying on a user or service to manually update the location record. Cheap and easy, because the infrastructure to pass along the location information is already in place. Just an 11 cent chip included in the hardware.

For those who think this is just the FCC being heavy-handed again, tell that to the families of the people who havce already been killed because VOiP can't handle 911 properly.

Not all VoIP providers lack 911 access

Cable Telephone providers use VoIP technoliogy, but most have their networks connected to the 911 system. VoIP is just a method to move voice. Traditional phone companies do not have a lock on safety.

Show me one

Not a single VoIP vendor that I am aware of has traditional 911 service.

If you think 911 means having an emergency number dialed for you, you are missing the point.

GREAT FUD ... what is this PR from the cable industry?

Shame on C|NET for posting this as an FAQ -- the notion that DSL
is somehow less reliable for 911 is a categorical mistruth. In fact
since DSL comes over copper supplied by the phone company,
there is a better Customer Information Record available to the PSAP
for 911 dispatch.

[caholman]

Cable vs DSL

Shame on CNET indeed. It doesn't even attempt to explain why it claims cable voip is easier to connect to traditional 911 networks than dsl voip.

WTF - Who wrote this story, get the facts!

This is the biggest load of bull I've read in recent history. I'm certain that more than one cable operator offers fully functional E911 services. As a DSL provider myself, and a victim of the local cable company, I can assure you that DSL can often be more reliable than Cable modem services. As an ITSP (Internet Telephony Service Provider), we already offer full E911 services to our customers in Minnesota, who choose a fixed location and a phone number from the local area where it?s assigned from. The biggest problem I face is customers who relocate and do not update our records, access to the address formats the PSAP?s want the information in, the delays in the current system providing that information to the ALI database providers, the number of connections required to offer service outside of our local area (>5000), The inability of the PSAP (Public Safety Answering Point) to accept non-local phone numbers. Wireless operators were given 10 years to think about solutions and they clearly were accepted as telephone service providers from the start. We've only had 2 years or so, and only understood by regulators and big telco?s for about a year. (PS: Telco?s don't like the independent guys who can steal their customers and provide better personalized service!) Did I mention for less money!
Regulators are frustrated because we can service customers from any location. Doesn?t even need to be from the U.S.

OK, back to my ***** letter.
GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT!!!
YOU DO EVERYONE A DIS-SERVICE WITH BAD INFORMATION.

Nice to hear someones getting closer...

But if you are relying on the customer to tell you they have moved, THEN YOU DON'T HAVE E911 SERVICE!!

The marketing hype being used by VoIP vendors is nine tenths of the problem here. Stop claiming you have 911 service when you clearly can't grasp what the heck 911 service is.

[goodstuff2001]

It's all about the money!

In our area they don't even have a e-911 working yet. But they are collecting the taxes from all the cell phone owners. This is just another 'Grab the Cash' tax. If we follow up in 6 months, and they do press the 911 issue, 'there will be the non-working Voip Tax' but yet again no service.

[RickyFr]

Life is Filled with Risk

For tens of thousands of years **** sapiens lived and died without 911. Now we think that we can't be without it. It's time to get a grip on reality. Life has risks! 911 doesn't make those risks disappear. It is not necessary like air and water.

[bhags]

VOIP-911

Can someone explain me about how VOIP processes an 911 call?
Or in other words, If I dial 911 using VOIP,how it works?

Thanks,
Bhags