Roughly 750,000 of the estimated 2.5 million Internet telephone customers may have service turned off because providers cannot offer enhanced 911 service, according to a survey on Monday by Voice On the Net Coalition.
The Federal Communications Commission ordered providers to suspend service by November 28 to customers who will not have enhanced 911 services, which includes providing dispatchers a caller's number and location.
The agency's order followed several instances where Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) subscribers had trouble reaching help when they dialed 911 for help. In several cases, calls went to business lines instead of emergency dispatchers.
Most of those who would have to be disconnected would have only basic
911 access, and are residential customers who use their service in multiple locations, the VON Coalition said.The group said hurdles facing VOIP providers to offer enhanced 911 service include accessing the necessary databases, the short time frame, and technological limits. The survey included a dozen VOIP providers like Vonage Holdings Corp.
Nuvio Corp. and other VOIP providers last week filed an emergency appeal with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit seeking a stay of the FCC order while it challenges the requirements.
The providers argued, among other things, that they had only 120 days to comply with the requirements, while other telecommunications services like wireless had much more time.
The FCC has until Tuesday to respond. Last week FCC Chairman Kevin Martin defended the deadline.
Many Internet phone services can be used anywhere there is a high-speed Internet connection, but such mobility forces callers to identify their current location for enhanced 911 service to work.
Less than half of the dozen VOIP providers surveyed, 42 percent, said they would be able to provide enhanced 911 service to 100 percent of their customers with a primary fixed location, according to VON.
Copyright 2005 Reuters Limited.
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