FCC ensures Enhanced 911 is available
May 20, 2005
In a recent ruling handed down from the Federal Communications
Commission ensuring that all VoIP providers must have
E911 capability. E911 stands for Enhanced 911 which
is a technological advance by the Federal Communications
Commission to enable the emergency services to locate
the geographic position of the caller.
In the past it was difficult for VoIP
users to be located in an efficient manner by an emergency
dispatcher. In the past few month’s the FFC has
made great advances to ensure that E911 is a standard
feature on all VoIP plans; not an optional feature.
The IP-Enabled Voice Communications and Public Safety
Act requires VoIP providers to ensure that 911 and Enhanced
911 (E911) services are available to all customers.
Within this act VoIP provider must make available all
information concerning call back numbers and location
information of their customers to emergency operators.
They must also allow consumers to access as well as
update their personal information from any location.
VoIP providers will have no more than 120 days from
the active date of the order to ensure these new requirements
are meet. The active date is expected to be some time
this fall.
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