VoIP Dispuate Claims over 911 Service

[Barry]

VoIP providers appearing at the National Press Club Monday disputed claims that customers are not informed that when they dial 911 using a Voice over Internet Protocol service that it is not the same as 911 services from traditional landline or wireless phones.

Verizon Communications Inc. offers a VoIP service known as VoiceWing. To use VoiceWing, customers must affirmatively give their locations and acknowledge they know the difference between VoiceWing 911 and landline 911 when they sign up for the service, said David Young, Verizon director of regulatory affairs.

Both Vonage and Verizon said they make clear to their customers that if they have VoIP installed on laptops and they travel, that the computers will not know that they are not physically at the addresses they indicated when they signed up for service.

Many have complained that Vonage is not clear about the differences between its "access to emergency services" and dialing 911. Vonage said it will commit to deploying 911 as soon as possible but that federal standards-such as those developed by the Federal Communications Commission for wireless-are necessary.

_________________
Start Posting for Cool Prizes!