| In the event of an emergency, are you capable | | | | VoIP users without the E911 service. Recently the |
| of receiving the emergency response from calling | | | | FCC has backed off that order (the original |
| 911 that you normally expect when using a | | | | deadline for disconnect was Nov 28, 2005). |
| traditional phone line? In the United States as well | | | | Instead the FCC has now mandated that all 'new' |
| as Canada, a 911 call placed from your telephone | | | | service be equipped with E911 service. Those |
| is routed to PSAP (Public Safety Answering | | | | remaining VoIP providers not offering E911 |
| Points). Your number and location are reported | | | | service will be unable to market or sell new |
| when this call is placed. Knowledge of the phone | | | | services until such time that they implement the |
| number allows the 911 dispatcher to return the | | | | E911 service. |
| call if necessary and the location is of obvious | | | | When researching possible VoIP providers, you |
| importance to route an emergency response | | | | should make sure that this service is available. The |
| team. But what happens when this same 911 call | | | | government is mandating that it be available, but |
| is placed over a VoIP line? | | | | as an informed consumer this is information you |
| There have been reported incidents where | | | | should know. What good is saving money on your |
| existing 911 calls placed from VoIP don't get | | | | monthly phone bill if it's at the expense of the |
| through to the primary PSAP and at times are | | | | safety of you and your loved ones? |
| routed elsewhere. The dispatcher also wasn't | | | | Other things you should keep in mind is that VoIP |
| receiving the additional information such as phone | | | | runs over your existing broadband connection. If |
| number and location. This can slow emergency | | | | your broadband connection goes down, so does |
| response services to a critical level. | | | | your phone line. Your broadband signal also needs |
| The FCC has mandated that all new subscribers | | | | to travel through your modem, so in the event of |
| have access to E911 service. The Enhanced 911 | | | | a poweroutage, your broadband is down as well. |
| service provides the same level of information to | | | | (because the modem would be without power). |
| the PSAP as described above. Currently there are | | | | You may want to review having a battery |
| some VoIP subscribers who do not have this | | | | backup in the case of power outages and perhaps |
| service. The | | | | a second traditional phone line or a cellular phone in |
| FCC originally order a disconnect for all existing | | | | order to place emergency calls. |