Internet-Phone Firms Must Provide 911 Access
FCC Gives Companies 120 Days to Comply
Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla) discusses 911 phone reforms, sparked by Cheryl Wall, center, who couldn't get help on her Internet-based phone when her daughter stopped breathing.
(By Shaun Heasley -- Reuters)
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Friday, May 20, 2005
Federal regulators voted yesterday to require that providers of Internet phone service connect their customers to the same 911 services as callers with traditional phone service.
The Federal Communications Commission gave companies that offer Internet-based phone service 120 days to certify that their customers will be able to reach an emergency dispatcher when they call 911. Also, a dispatcher will have to be able to tell where a caller is located and the number from which he is calling.
Unlike traditional phones that have a fixed address known by the phone company, Internet-phone calls can be placed from anywhere there is Internet access -- posing a challenge for service providers trying to link their customers to the 911 network.
It was left up to the providers to determine how to meet the new requirement.
The 4 to 0 vote came after FCC Chairman Kevin J. Martin invited families affected by the inability to reach emergency-response centers over Internet phones to tell their stories. A Florida woman described how her infant daughter died while she was unable to reach an emergency dispatcher through her Internet phone.
"By moving quickly, we will save lives," Commissioner Michael J. Copps said.
About 1.5 million customers use the rapidly growing voice over Internet protocol in place of traditional phone service.
Under the order, VoIP providers must ensure that all 911 calls are routed to the caller's local 911 operations center and must provide the emergency operator with the customer's callback number and location, whether the call is being made from the customer's home or elsewhere.
Companies said that they may be hard-pressed to comply with the rule on such a tight time frame but that they do think it will help them in talks with regional phones companies over gaining access to the 911 systems they control.
