Yes, Another E911 Thread.....Slight Rant

Posts: 1424 · Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2006 11:40 am Post subject:

hookbill wrote:

As far as the first part of this are you suggesting that I call ILEC? Well, I wouldn't know WHO to call to start, and second is that really my responsibility? I mean I'm paying for this stuff now, I got to do the work too?

No, I said to call the supervisor of the PSAP, I meant the government employee who oversees emergency services. I wouldn't suggest calling the ILEC.

The PSAP is typically run by a government agency, they are supposed to be in business to provide service to you. They are the ones who pay the ILEC to operate the PSAP. If the ILEC is dragging their heels on Voip E911 integration the PSAP is the only entity that can actually do anything about it besides the FCC. Vonage can scream, cry, and shake their fist in the air but it won't get them access any sooner.

One of Vonage's complaints is that they didn't want to have to go through a separate integration process for every single PSAP. Some ILECs stepped up and worked out a procedure for all of the PSAPs that they operated. Those PSAPs were connected first. For the remaining PSAPs, some will be technically incapable of implementing E911 for Voip (especially the stupid way it was specified) without equipment upgrades. In these cases it may be years before E911 access is actually achieved.

Believe it or not there are still a few PSAP listed in the FCC database that are not wireless E911 capable.

blakadher wrote:

Is there a list of ALL the counties that are currently E911 enabled somewhere?

I have looked and not seen one. I am surprised, when all of the phases of wireless E911 were rolled out the FCC kept very detailed records. But with Voip the FCC stepped aside and just told the Voip providers to figure it out.

Posts: 1424 · Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2006 11:47 am Post subject:

taylor2767 wrote:

Those on Vonage's PAYROLL no need to reply.You know who you are. Question

I am uncertain if this comment was directed at me, but I will take a moment to respond.

I am not a Vonage employee and I have, to date, made $500 total with work that was a direct result of Vonage.

My defense of Vonage in this situation stems directly from the complete and utter disgust I have for the manner in which the FCC handled Voip integration into the E911 system. I do not hold Vonage blameless in this regard because I believe they accepted the FCC mandate too easily.

The current E911 system is incredibly broken with regards to Voip, especially with regard to nomadic Voip and computer to computer Voip which is not even addressed.

Had the FCC done their job correctly they would have mandated a Voip based solution to the problem instead of forcing the Voip carriers to integrate into the PSTN legacy system. It might have taken longer, but everyone knows we will eventually be moving completely to Voip so it will have to be done.

So all I see is a crippled, half-witted, bridge system that wasted a lot of money, sapped innovation from Voip companies as they raced to meet arbitrary deadlines and erected a barrier for new companies to enter the Voip, and in fact all telecommunications, industry.