For all the merits of VoIP phone systems, there are potential disadvantages of which the consumer should be aware. One concerns emergency preparedness.

9-1-1

One important function of the telephone is its use as an emergency resource. Traditional telephone systems, or Public Switched Telephone Networks (PSTN's), allow the user to dial 9-1-1 to access emergency services. Calls to 9-1-1 are routed from the 9-1-1 Control Office to a local Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP).

The Wireless Communications and Public Safety Act of 1999 (The 9-1-1 Act) directs the Federal Communications Commission to establish 9-1-1 as a nationwide emergency telephone number and to regulate this disaster preparedness service.

9-1-1 services are regularly upgraded. Today, most 9-1-1 services provide service professionals with the telephone number and location of the caller. The PSAP locates the caller by mapping the telephone number to the address. This capability is called Enhanced 911.

Potential Limitations of VoIP Phone Service

VoIP presents some potential drawbacks to this disaster response system:

• VoIP 9-1-1 calls may not connect to the PSAP emergency operators
• When a VoIP 9-1-1 call does connect to the PSAP properly, it may not transmit the user's phone number and or location information automatically
• Although a VoIP customer may report his home location to the PSAP, many VoIP systems are portable. The user needs to update the information as he moves
• VoIP service may not work during a power outage, or during periods when the Internet connection, for whatever reason, fails

Regulation of VoIP Service

Accordingly, the FCC imposes certain requirements on VoIP providers that market interconnected systems - that is, VoIP systems that use PSTN's, in which clients make and receive calls over the traditional network.

• Interconnected VoIP vendors are required to provide 911 service to all their customers. Neither providers nor customers may opt out of the requirement.
• The supplier of the VoIP service must collect from user the location at which the system will be used. The provider must provide the user with the simple means to update the information.
• VoIP providers must report the caller's phone number and location to the PSAP. Upon request, the provider must also supply the geographical coordinates (latitude and longitude) to an accuracy of within, at the widest, 300 meters.
• The service provider must inform the client of the limitations of VoIP phone service vis-à-vis emergency services, and receive confirmation of receipt of the information.

The User's Responsibility in VoIP Services

Of course, it's incumbent upon the user to supply the VoIP provider, and therefore the PSAP, with the location of the system. What's more, he must continuously update the data as his location changes. This can be tricky for the individual who travels on business, or to someone on vacation. At remote locations, there may be no contact options besides the computer.

The VoIP client has the responsibility to inform all users, including temporary staff and visitors, that 9-1-1- service may be limited.

VoIP Services: The Remaining Problems

Two problems remain beyond the FCC's control.

• A power outage may disrupt all computer functions, including disaster preparedness. What's more, the Internet connections still fails from time to time, and at times systems are overloaded.
• Some VoIP systems do not access PSTN. The potential range of calls is not universal, but limited to, for example, numbers within an enterprise.

The wise VoIP user should address these issues proactively.

Source

• Fcc.gov

About the Author
Steve Greechie (MBA, MSLIS, MA) is a freelance business writer in New York City. He's published extensively in a range of publications, including The Boston Business Journal, Information Outlook, Online, Architectural Record and The Journal of Business and Finance Librarianship. He contributed to The Core Business Web, which The American Library Association named The Best Business Reference Book of 2003. His Internet copy appears widely.