Do VoIP providers meet FCC requirements for E911?
The writer speaks with Pat Halley, Government Affairs Director for the National Emergency Number Association about the latest technology, ‘VoIP’.
Writer: What is the difference between the E911 service of VoIP and the 911 service of the conventional phone?
Halley: Looking at the yesteryears, it becomes clear that there were only a few main local exchange companies, which were famous for the quantities. With the advent of wireless, the market saw just 5 main cordless companies and many tier 2 and 3 players. Most of the U.S citizens use cordless from a specified quantity. It appears much easy to sink into the VoIP phone service market. If anyone is laced with a bit of technical skills, he may build up VoIP. This for sure churns out 911 service a challenge for the small and new enterprises having 2, 3, 4 or 5 workers to understand and abide by this system of emergency. There are the VoIP providers like Vonage and Axvoice, which are laced with the dexterous skills to accomplish this task with poise. The smaller VoIP providers cannot match the same skills with them.
Writer: Later previous year, the law got applied. You may find some VoIP providers who do not offer E911 emergency service. This shows they are not abiding by the law. Is this the violation to the law?
Halley: Of course, these companies are violating the FCC regulations. It has not been revealed as to what is going to be done against them as yet, as the FCC has clearly uttered about meeting the laws. Although there are some exceptions, but this is without any doubt a violation. Churning out residential users or multi-line phone service, it is still under talks as to all the FCC laws are to be applied equally to the multi-line phone service. There is uncertainty about applying the FCC regulations to MLTS. FCC is particular about getting these regulations met till November 28th. And if any VoIP provider is unable to meet these laws, they would be stopped to market and offer new services in the region where these companies find themselves unable to fulfill the orders. There was an enterprise in West Virginia that stopped working because it was unable to meet the laws. Ultimately the rules by the FCC would be enforced and the penalties be applied to make these rules working.
Writer: It is being seen that most of the VoIP service provider take the E911 issue lightly and consider it a customer’s issue.
Halley: If any vendor appears to be confused on this E911 issue, I would simply leave this company aside. Even every user and I would be looking for the publicity, they do about E911. One should judge how type of the VoIP provider they are? Are they the ones who come and fly at night? If so, then they would not be implementing this service of E911. FCC rules must be followed.
