TELECOM Digest OnLine - Sorted: SBC to Offer E911 Access to VoIP Providers? Oh Yea? I Want


SBC to Offer E911 Access to VoIP Providers? Oh Yea? I Want


Jack Decker (jack-yahoogroups@withheld_on_request)
Thu, 12 May 2005 10:45:56 -0400

http://blogs.zdnet.com/ip-telephony/?p=410

Oh Yea? I want these 12 questions answered first.

-Posted by Russell Shaw @ 4:19 am

Sorry, but I am still skeptical over the timing and scope of SBC's
announcement yesterday that, the company has plans that in the words
of my colleague Alorie Gilbert will help Internet phone companies
"offer more reliable 911 services for their subscribers."

While SBC says that the service will permit emergency dispatchers to
see the address and call-back numbers of VoIP callers at fixed
locations, that's just not enough.

It seems that the media are adapting a fawning attitude toward these
pronouncements on the part of Qwest, Verizon, BellSouth and SBC. They
are not asking the tough questions.

But I will. That's why you've come here.

Full story at:
http://blogs.zdnet.com/ip-telephony/?p=410

[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Well, Vonage claims about 40 percent of
its customers travel with their adapters at hand. Still, that leaves
about 60 percent of its customers who should get along nicely with
this effort. If Vonage is typical of all VOIP, then having 60 percent
plus or minus of all customers 'cut over' to valid, working E-911
does sound like a good accomplishment. And even with my cell phone, I
know there are many places I could travel (obviously in 'roaming'
mode) where the 911 service would be flaky at best. So I don't know
what Russell Shaw is complaining about. 60 percent is a great start
if they can make it happen. And who knows ... in the next few years
maybe the local ISPs can be convinced to intercept 911 calls coming
over VOIP and instead of sending them where the adapter box says for
them to go, the local ISP (in the area you are traveling in) can
begin routing those calls to a local PSAP, which is still not the
best, but it would resolve the issue for another 90-95 percent of the
travelers (those who can speak up and explain themselves when the
local [substitute PSAP] answers the line. PAT]

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