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The ability to access emergency services by dialing 911
is a vital component of public safety and emergency preparedness. Recent
reports of consumers’ inability to access life-saving emergency services while
using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services have highlighted a critical
public safety gap. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has taken steps
to close this gap by imposing Enhanced 911 (E911) obligations on providers of
“interconnected” VoIP services, i.e., VoIP services that use the Public
Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), including wireless networks, to originate
and terminate calls. E911 systems automatically provide to emergency service
personnel a 911 caller’s call back number and, in most cases, location
information.
What Is Interconnected VoIP Service?
Interconnected VoIP service allows you to make and
receive calls to and from traditional phone numbers, usually using an Internet
connection, possibly a high-speed (broadband) Internet connection, such as
Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), cable modem, or wireless broadband. It can be
used in place of traditional phone service. Typically, interconnected VoIP
technology works by either placing an adapter between a traditional phone and
Internet connection, or by using a special VoIP phone that connects directly
to your computer or Internet connection. While you may choose to use
interconnected VoIP service from a single location, like a residence, some
interconnected VoIP services can be used wherever you travel, as long as a
broadband Internet connection is available. Companies offering interconnected
VoIP service call it by a number of different brand names. To find our more
about VoIP service, see the FCC’s consumer fact sheet at
www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/voip.html.
The Public Safety Challenges of VoIP Service
Traditional phone services have generally associated a
particular phone number with a fixed address. Portable interconnected VoIP
service enables consumers to take their home or business phone service almost
anywhere. Because certain interconnected VoIP services can be used from
virtually any Internet connection, the location of the caller cannot
automatically be determined.
This portability raises a number of challenges for the
emergency services community. The FCC has recently taken action to make sure
that emergency calls from these VoIP services will get through to the
appropriate public safety authorities, but there are certain things that
consumers need to know.
When you call 911 from a traditional telephone, the call
in most cases is sent to a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) that is
responsible for helping people in a particular geographic area or community.
PSAP personnel often can automatically identify your location and direct the
closest emergency personnel to that location. They also often can
automatically identify your telephone number so that they can call you back if
you are disconnected.
Because VoIP service works differently from traditional
phone service, consumers who use it should be aware that VoIP 911 service may
also work differently from traditional 911 service. The FCC and VoIP service
providers are striving to eliminate these differences, but some of them are:
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VoIP 911 call may not connect to the PSAP;
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VoIP 911 service may ring to the administrative line of
the PSAP, which may not be staffed after hours, or by trained 911 operators;
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VoIP 911 service correctly connects to the PSAP, but
does not automatically transmit the user’s phone number and/or location
information;
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VoIP customers may need to provide location or other
information to their VoIP providers, and update this information if they
change locations, for their VoIP 911 service to function properly;
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VoIP service may not work during a power outage, or
when the Internet connection fails or becomes overloaded.
To reduce these differences, and any possible risks to
public safety posed by interconnected VoIP 911 service, the FCC has imposed
the following requirements:
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All interconnected VoIP providers must automatically
provide 911 service to all their customers as a standard, mandatory feature
without customers having to specifically request this service. VoIP
providers may not allow their customers to “opt-out” of 911 service.
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Before an interconnected VoIP provider can activate a
new customer’s service, the provider must obtain from the customer the
physical location at which the service will first be used, so that emergency
services personnel will be able to locate any customer dialing 911.
Interconnected VoIP providers must also provide one or more easy ways for
their customers to update the physical location they have registered with
the provider, if it changes.
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Interconnected VoIP providers must transmit all
911 calls, as well as a callback number and the caller’s registered physical
location, to the appropriate emergency services call center or local
emergency authority.
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Interconnected VoIP providers must take appropriate
action to ensure that their customers have a clear understanding of the
limitations, if any, of their 911 service. All providers must specifically
advise new and existing customers, prominently and in plain language, of the
circumstances under which 911 service may not be available through the
interconnected VoIP service or may in some way be limited in comparison to
traditional 911 service. They must distribute labels to all customers
warning them if 911 service may be limited or not available and instructing
them to place the labels on and/or near the equipment used in conjunction
with the interconnected VoIP service.
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Interconnected VoIP providers must obtain
affirmative acknowledgement from all existing customers that they are
aware of and understand the limitations of their 911 service.
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In some areas, emergency service providers are not
capable of receiving or processing the location information or call back
number that is automatically transmitted with 911 calls. In those areas,
interconnected VoIP providers must ensure that a 911 call is routed to the
appropriate PSAP.
Tips for VoIP Subscribers
If you have or are thinking of subscribing to an
interconnected VoIP service, you should:
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Provide your accurate physical address to your
interconnected VoIP service provider to ensure that emergency services can
quickly be dispatched to your location.
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Be familiar with your VoIP service provider’s
procedures for updating your address, and promptly update address
information in the event of a change.
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Have a clear understanding of any limitations of your
911 service.
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Inform children, babysitters, and visitors about
your VoIP service and its 911 limitations, if any.
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If your power is out or your Internet connection is
down, be aware that your VoIP service may not work. Consider installing a
backup power supply, maintaining a traditional phone line, or having a
wireless phone as a backup.
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If you have questions about whether the phone service
you are receiving is an interconnected VoIP service, contact your service
provider for further information.
Filing a Complaint with the FCC
If you have been unable to access emergency services
while using VoIP service, you can file a complaint with the FCC. There is no
charge for filing a complaint. You can file your complaint using the FCC’s
on-line complaint Form 2000D found on the FCC Web site at
www.fcc.gov/cgb/complaints.html. You can
also file your complaint with the FCC’s Consumer Center by e-mailing
fccinfo@fcc.gov; calling 1-888-CALL-FCC
(1-888-225-5322) voice or 1-888-TELL-FCC (1-888-835-5322) TTY; faxing
1-866-418-0232; or writing to:
Federal Communications Commission
Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau
Consumer Inquiries and Complaints Division
445 12th Street, SW
Washington, D.C. 20554.
What to Include in Your Complaint
The best way for you to provide all the information the
FCC needs to process your complaint is to complete fully the on-line complaint
Form 2000D. If you do not use the on-line complaint Form 2000D, your
complaint, at a minimum, should indicate:
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your name, address, e-mail address, and phone number
where you can be reached;
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the name and phone number of the company that you’re
complaining about; telephone number involved, account number, date of
incident, and description of the problem.
For More Information
For more information about interconnected VoIP and 911,
visit the FCC’s VoIP 911 Web site at
www.voip911.gov. For more information about VoIP in general, see the FCC’s
consumer fact sheet at
www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/voip.html. You can also contact the FCC’s
Consumer Center using the information provided for filing a complaint.
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Federal Communications Commission · Consumer
& Governmental Affairs Bureau · 445 12th St. S.W. ·
Washington, DC 20554 |
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1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322) ·
TTY: 1-888-TELL-FCC (1-888-835-5322) · Fax: 1-866-418-0232 · www.fcc.gov/cgb/
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