Vonage Revamps Emergency Calling with E9-1-1 Service for VoIP Customers

VoIP, or Voice over Internet Protocol, phone services have captured the public’s imagination as a newer, better, and more advanced reworking of traditional landline phones.  VoIP phones have many advantages, including high quality audio, exciting new digital features such as caller ID and free three-way calling, and severely reduced flat monthly rates. However, the world of VoIP isn’t perfect.

Obstacles for VoIP

One major roadblock to nationwide Internet phone adoption is the fact that many emergency calling centers only support standard 9-1-1 emergency services, which can cause problems for VoIP users. VoIP phones work by transmitting digital voice data over the Internet, associating that data with the phone’s IP address instead of a landline phone number.

Although it is relatively easy to track the locations of 9-1-1 callers by landline phone numbers if callers are not able to give out that information, it is nearly impossible to track their location by IP address. If VoIP callers are unable to vocalize their physical locations for any reason when calling 9-1-1, using VoIP to make an emergency call could place them in serious danger.

Vonage VoIP Provider and E 9-1-1 Services

Because of this, in June the FCC gave Vonage, a leading VoIP provider, 120 days to create and provide an enhanced 9-1-1 service for all of its customers. This enhanced service, also known as E 9-1-1, automatically associates a physical address with the calling party’s phone number, getting around the limitations of VoIP emergency services entirely.

In the 120 days, Vonage worked closely with local calling centers to turn on E 9-1-1 for as many of its customers as possible. In just under a month, Vonage was able to turn on E 9-1-1 in over 740 calling centers, and 190 entirely new counties across America. As of February 9th, Vonage has brought the total number of calling centers with E 9-1-1 emergency services to over 3,300. Vonage has announced that now almost all of its customers have access to basic 9-1-1 services, and that it is continuing to equip new service areas with E 9-1-1.

Vonage Continues to Equip VoIP Service Areas with E 9-1-1

Although Vonage fell just short of the FCC mandate, it is a considerable accomplishment to be able to radically change the nature of 9-1-1 services for so many VoIP customers. As a comparison, the wireless industry took 10 years to turn on emergency 9-1-1 services for one-half of the nation’s calling centers.

Vonage accomplished the same feat in less than one year, proving its continued commitment to the safety of its customers in emergency situations. Furthermore, Vonage has expressed its desire to continue to pioneer turning on E 9-1-1 for VoIP customers in the United States.

Vonage will continue to test and turn up new VoIP-ready calling centers until every single Vonage VoIP customer is covered by E 9-1-1 services.