TELECOM Digest OnLine - Sorted: Re: Vonage Changes 911 to Opt-Out

Re: Vonage Changes 911 to Opt-Out

AES (siegman@stanford.edu)
Mon, 16 May 2005 15:12:19 -0700

In article <telecom24.215.11@telecom-digest.org>, DevilsPGD
<spamsucks@crazyhat.net> wrote:

Message snipped for brevity, but I think the primary message is that
providing (and maintaining!) universal, standardized, up to date, and
effective 911 service on a future primarily VOIP phone service is almost
impossibly difficult.

On the other hand, every VOIP phone either contains or connects to a
computer of some sort, right? So, no matter where the VOIP phone is
moved, if it's in a location that also has a "real" phone line with at
least local service, then if you just patch a cord from a suitable
"911 port" on the side of the VOIP phone (or its computer) into the
hard-wired phone line each time you move it, the VOIP phone can easily
be smart enough to send the 911 call into that local hardwired line
instead of into the Internet -- and the resulting location for the 911
call will always automatically be correct, right?

Earlier Mark Peters wrote:

>>> A big problem is visitors, especially children who have been taught
>>> to dial 911 in case of an emergency.

Well, in a very large fraction of the nonresidential locations that I
know about (starting with all of Stanford University, and extending to
businesses, hotels, some apartment houses, stores, schools, and so
on), there is no "911" service: you have to dial "9-911" (sometimes
with a suitable pause) or even "1-9-911". There are certainly
children routinely in those places; will they know about that?

> 911 for everyone, everywhere, is a great idea. However, it's at direct
> odds with mobile VoIP unless you can force people to enter their current
> address when they move the device.

AND force the service providers to actually process the information,
accurately -- good luck!

> Something needs to be done, but frankly, I'm not seeing the solution
> even with a relative infinite amount of money.

Agreed -- we should think of other ways to meet the need (such as,
perhaps, my recent and more lengthy post).

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