911 Dialing Status - Pending Validation for 5 days now.

Posts: 6 · New Forum Member Joined: Sep 28, 2005 Posts: 6

I signed up for my Vonage service on the 23rd of September. It's been five days now since I signed up and my 911 Dialing status is still "Pending Validation". This is the one thing keeping me from ditching my land line.

Has anyone else had to wait a long tine for 911 to become activated? Did you take any steps to resolve the issue? I called the Vonage service line yesterday, they told me to call back if nothing has changed in two days. I'm worried they'll tell me the same thing if nothing has changed by tomorrow.

Posts: 508 · Posted: Wed Sep 28, 2005 5:17 pm Post subject:

mine took atleast a week to complete as well..

I have never 'tried' it out yet, so i have no idea where it even goes..

Posts: 14

I guess I was lucky as mine was activated the day after I signed up but I had to wait over a week to get the RTP300 delivered.

Posts: 6 · New Forum Member Joined: Sep 28, 2005 Posts: 6

Well, I talked to the Vonage support line. It sounds as if they may have had problems with the way I put my address.

Normally we use "Unit" to describe the number of our townhouse here, but it sounds as if that word confuses the 911 verification people. The Vonage rep changed my address from:

XXXXX YYnd Ave
Unit Z

to:

XXXXX YYnd Ave
Suite Z

(XYZ replaced of course with real numbers)

...and asked me to wait a few more days. Let's see if that works.

Posts: 6 · New Forum Member Joined: Sep 28, 2005 Posts: 6

OK., finally got 911 activated this morning, 6 1/2 days after signing up for the service.

The only bit of new information was that this morning, just before my 911 was activated, I noticed that my address was "re-submitted" with the current date. I had sent an email 2 days ago saying I was considering cancelling service if it wasn't done quickly, but with both phone and email I have no idea what worked in the end.

Anyways, I finally called Telus this morning and cancelled my service. We'll see how this goes.

Posts: 18 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Aug 31, 2005 Posts: 18

Vonage uses MapQuest.com to confirm your address. My first attempt with the 911 activation failed because I did not enter my address exactly as it shows on Mapquest. I live on a cresent so I ended my street name with a "Cr" suffix while Mapquest uses the "Cres" suffix. So it failed, but as soon as I resubmitted with "Cres", it worked.

Posts: 6 · New Forum Member Joined: Sep 28, 2005 Posts: 6

I would have been happy with that, if they failed me quickly. Instead I was put into some sort of void where I was stuck on "Pending" forever.

Posts: 508 · Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2005 5:35 pm Post subject:

since 911 is very important to you, you may want to try dialing 911 and see where it goes, cuz as I'm sure you are aware, it isn't at all like normal 911 calls, the call will go to the local police station, or some other emergency (sometimes non-emergency) number..

there was one report from teh US that someome called their 911 to test it and get "Hello, Back office" as a greeting, and when they told the 'back office' person what they were doing, the person said that there is very rarely ever anyone at that desk, just that she was putting away files at that particular time.. so the Vonage Customer had to call Vonage and have them find a new number to point to..

I just want to give you a heads up, since it seems very important to you to have 911, you may very well be better off just entering the Police, Fire and Ambulance/Hospital numebrs into speed dials and use those instead..

also regardless of where your call goes, they will not be able to see anything about who you are, other than they 'may' be able to see your number, if they have call display.. and as you know, your vonage number will not even show your name, so they won't even be able to look it up by any means..

Posts: 6 · New Forum Member Joined: Sep 28, 2005 Posts: 6

I'm aware of some of the 911 horror stories, and I know the 911 can be spotty. We do have cell phones in the house, but want to have some level of backup, especially if the kids can't find a cell phone.

I'm worried about calling 911 to test it. Calling 911 in Canada without an emergency is techically an offense. Vonage's site is somewhat confusing on the issue, they say don't call, but if you do call say this.

I'm curious how Vonage will be able to keep up spotty 911 service, especially if they're being regulated to have equivelant service. One bad incident could get them sued.

Posts: 508 · Posted: Sat Oct 01, 2005 1:07 pm Post subject:

there was an incidernt in TX where some young girl called 911 form her vonage phone and she didn't get through, and the robber shot her parents..

Vonage Canada isn't regulated yet, they were mandated to have basic 911 active, by a certain date, but i thin that may have been the end of this year Confused

I can't remember exactly..

you should be fien to try your 911, cuz it isn't real 911 so they can't arrest you.. you will prolly get the police station, and if tey answer "such and such Police" then you'll know who you're talking to and tell them you are calling fom a vonage VoIP line, and you are testing what they claim is 911 service, ask them if you call this number with an emergency will it be handled ok or not...

alot of ppl have done this and no-ones gotten in trouble yet..