Excerpts from two articles follow:
http://www.techweb.com/wire/networking/161600282
April 26, 2005 (11:15 AM EDT)
Verizon Dials Up 911 VoIP Solution
By TechWeb News
Verizon Communications said it will provide VoIP providers with a
solution that will let them use Verizon's enhanced 911 emergency
calling system.
Problems handling 911 emergency numbers have been a major hurdle for
VoIP providers, but positive movement in recent days by major landline
carriers is being hailed by VoIP companies.
"Working with VoIP companies and their vendors, we have identified a
means to route VoIP calls so that they appear in emergency response
centers much the way wireline and wireless 911 calls do," said Michael
O'Connor, Verizon's executive director of federal regulatory affairs,
in a statement Tuesday.
The Verizon statement coincides with efforts by Qwest Communications
and SBC Communications to solve the 911 problem with Vonage, North
America's largest VoIP provider. The remaining former Baby Bell,
BellSouth, is also said to be working on the problem. More than 90
percent of U.S. landline telephone service is provided by the former
Bells. Their means of communicating with 911 dispatch numbers is not
compatible with VoIP phoning, particularly where VoIP moves over cable
broadband.
Verizon said its VoIP 911 service will be offered in New York City
this summer, and, if successful, it will be replicated in additional
Verizon locations.
Full story at:
http://www.techweb.com/wire/networking/161600282
[Article #2:]
http://www.redherring.com/Article.aspx?a=11892&hed=Verizon+Answers+VoIP+911+Call&hed§or=Industries&hed§or&subsector=InternetAndServices
Verizon Answers VoIP 911 Call
Vonage works with carrier to develop parallel emergency database to
connect callers with emergency dispatchers. April 26, 2005
Verizon Communications said Tuesday it will test a major improvement
to VoIP performance by directing its subscribers' 911 emergency
calls to the appropriate authorities.
The dedicated system will not just route the calls to Public Safety
Answering Points (PSAPs), but will automatically provide the PSAP
operator with the name and address of the subscriber associated with
the telephone number.
The system is being implemented and tested in New York City with an
eye to a region-wide rollout. According to Verizon, the system will be
available to VoIP service providers in all of New York City by the
summer. Verizon did not announce a specific timetable for a
region-wide rollout.
Full story at:
http://www.redherring.com/Article.aspx?a=11892&hed=Verizon+Answers+VoIP+911+Call&hed§or=Industries&hed§or&subsector=InternetAndServices
How to Distribute VoIP Throughout a Home:
http://michigantelephone.mi.org/distribute.html
If you live in Michigan, subscribe to the MI-Telecom group:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MI-Telecom/
Jack Decker (jack-yahoogroups@withheld_on_request)