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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:
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[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]