911 on POTS with whole house Vonage...

Posts: 6

I'm looking to set up my Vonage in a "whole house" format, ie, disconnect the standard POTS line at the NID.

The question is : I would like to keep a POTS line around, but maybe not even active, for 911 calls. Is it possible to have both a "whole house" Vonage and somehow have a POTS connection somewhere?

Thanks...

Posts: 206 · Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2005 10:19 pm Post subject:

Sure it's possible. You need to isolate a the two service groups, though. If it's ONLY for 911 purposes, I'd disconnect your house wiring from the demarc. Then, run an independent line from where you want the 911 handset and attach that to the demarc instead. That line can't be on your Vonage network, though.

If your CO keeps a dial tone to disconnected lines for 911 service, all it would cost you would be the price of the jack and wire.

Posts: 11 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Dec 01, 2004 Posts: 11

Martlet wrote:

Sure it's possible. You need to isolate a the two service groups, though. If it's ONLY for 911 purposes, I'd disconnect your house wiring from the demarc. Then, run an independent line from where you want the 911 handset and attach that to the demarc instead. That line can't be on your Vonage network, though.

If your CO keeps a dial tone to disconnected lines for 911 service, all it would cost you would be the price of the jack and wire.

POTS doesn't work at all once the TelCo has disconnected it. Even though they don't physically disconnect the wire at the pole, they kill the circuit you are connected to, and you don't even get a dial tone. I also doubt you'd be able to get a line that will ONLY dial 911. I think the absolute minimum you can gat is going to be in the $25-30 a month range with all the taxes and whatnot. You'd be better off keeping an old cell phone in a charging cradle somewhere. Unactivated cell phones WILL dial 911. However, like Vonage, it will be the cell carrier's 911 system, who will ask you where you are and connect you with the local 911 operator.

Posts: 2251 · Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2005 1:09 am Post subject:

TaZMaNiaK wrote:

I also doubt you'd be able to get a line that will ONLY dial 911.

Actually, you can. Different RBOC's have different trade names for it, but it is commonly called Life Line and cost around $7-$12 a month.

Most have no inbound and metered outbound, but all have 911.

Posts: 318 · Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2005 1:13 am Post subject:

TaZMaNiaK wrote:

POTS doesn't work at all once the TelCo has disconnected it.

Not true with all providers. Mine still pumps a dial tone into the house, but I can only dial the phone company's 1-800 number (to sign up for service) or 911...everything else gives an error.

Posts: 206 · Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2005 10:31 am Post subject:

otaku wrote:

TaZMaNiaK wrote:

POTS doesn't work at all once the TelCo has disconnected it.

Not true with all providers. Mine still pumps a dial tone into the house, but I can only dial the phone company's 1-800 number (to sign up for service) or 911...everything else gives an error.

Same here, which is why I gave that advice. When you shut your service off here, you still get dial tone for 911 capabilities.

Posts: 508 · Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2005 10:43 am Post subject:

where I am, you still get a dial tone too, you can dial 911, and all 310-#### which is what teh phone company's toll free number is, and also some other companies use it...

Posts: 482 · Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2005 11:32 am Post subject:

I have read that there is a federal law covering the local telcos mandating that they have to support 911 service on any physical line that is connected to your house, even if you have disconnected your service. I'm not guaranteeing it, but just repeating what I've read. When my LNP finally goes through I'll test it myself.

Posts: 18

BTW, 911 emergency access is called "Soft Dial Tone" (SDT) by the industry and the FCC. In 2003 the FCC declined to add SDT as a required service.

I found the following web page from the North American Numbering Council (NANC, apparently a local phone provider industry group) that is 3 yrs old but probably still accurate, which discusses 911 emergency access.
http://www.nanc-chair.org/docs/Nov/Nov02_SDT_IMG_Report.doc
(Note: Word format)

The bottom line is that here in the US only a few states had it back then: "States known to have instituted SDT in some form include CA, FL, GA, OH, OK, VT." I suspect that not very many more have added it.

I will attempt to get some definitive word on the state of SDT here in NC.

Posts: 196

wj wrote:

The bottom line is that here in the US only a few states had it back then: "States known to have instituted SDT in some form include CA, FL, GA, OH, OK, VT." I suspect that not very many more have added it.

I will attempt to get some definitive word on the state of SDT here in NC.

You won't find many locations in Georgia that have SDT except for high occupancy buildings like condos and apartment complexes. Here in the Metro Atlanta area, when a number disconnects, the dial tone is gone in days because they pull the jumper, reassign the cable pair, or just deactivate the line. My old Bellsouth line has battery on it still (2 years later) but no dial tone.

Not many phone companies are going to tie up an inventory of equipment providing dial tone to non-subscribers. It has proven not to be cost effective in most areas.

From this section of the document:
IV. Current Requirements for SDT Numbers
States known to have instituted SDT in some form include CA, FL, GA, OH, OK, VT.

and

2. Quick Dial Tone is provided at no charge where facilities and operating conditions permit.

and

Georgia
Access to 911 services shall be maintained for the duration of any temporary disconnection for non-payment of a residential subscriber's local service.

The phone companies are given an "out" to not maintain dial tone on disconnected service.