By CAROLYN SCHUK for VOXILLA.COM
In recent months, 911 has quickly become a VoIP industry hot button, and a major headache to service providers who have enjoyed a largely regulation-free business environment absolving them of the need to provide emergency calling services similar to those required of landline telephone providers.
But the climate is rapidly changing and VoIP service providers are scrambling to find solutions to the 911 dilemna. And, with the threat of federal regulation requiring VoIP providers to quickly implement
911 service looming, some providers are saying they will be forced to severely limit their service markets. One major operator, AT&T, says it may have no choice but to pull the plug on current customers.A recent allegation that an infant in Florida died after her mother could not reach an emergency services operator through the family's Vonage service, and lawsuits against Vonage by state attorney generals in Connecticut, Michigan and Texas over the company's 911 limitations, have put a lot of heat on all US-based VoIP service providers.
Adding to their new difficulties is a recent significant change in composition of the Federal Communications Commission. When led by former Chairman Michael Powell, the FCC maintained a hands-off approach to IP telephony. But in March, President Bush appointed the less VoIP-friendly Kevin Martin to replace Powell, and when the commission next meets on May 19th, it is poised, for the first time, to directly regulate VoIP by requiring providers in the US to offer emergency calling services through traditional 911 systems.
The big problem for VoIP providers is that there is no easy 911 solution.
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