What will this new law do to fix the problem VoIP companies have with Verizon's monopoly on the phone#/location lookup database, that Verizon uses to compete with VoIP companies on 911 reliability?
On Thu, 2007-02-01 at 02:33 +0000, Trixter aka Bret McDanel wrote: > > > On 2/1/07, Michael Young <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Actually, I think you missed the main point: "The > Clinton-Snowe-Nelson > bill will allow VoIP companies to patch into the 911 networks > operated > by the traditional phone companies." > > According to the VON Coalition, the legislation will give VoIP > companies > direct access to E911 networks within 120 days, and provides > equivalent > liability protection for VoIP providers as other phone > services have. > > That, my friends, is a big deal. > > > Note this is a 2005 thing, and covers the aspects you mentioned. It > may be that its the same bill, I dont have time to read all the links, > but here is what I found in a few seconds. Now that its 2007, the > primaries are starting it comes out about effectively the same thing. > > If however you are to connect ot the PSAPs directly and not over VoIP > does that mean physical circuits? Most telcos have to have a T1 or so > just for e911 that goes to the PSAP which can be a substantial cost > for smaller VoIP providers that dont have the ability to have physical > infrastructure (ie national coverage) but want to provide national > service. If you have the 'same rules' as those providers you have to > have that physical interconnection, although the current regime of > leasing someone elses network is probably allowed. There is however a > voIP based spec, I dont know the status of that, or how long its going > to take to actually implement. > > If these are the same it doesnt make VoIP companies equal to all > telcos only CMRS providers (mobile phone companies) so in instances > like California (where 12% of the pouplation is) you may end up > routing to the highway patrol, who may be totally unable to assist you > in any reasonable amount of time because you are in a very rural area > and really should have talked to the sheriff. Having lived in a rural > area in california where it can take 20 minutes for the helicopter to > arrive in an emergency (the amublance takes 10-15 minutes longer and > usually follows) the delay added by going to CHP first may not be the > godsend its proclaimed. > > Many times when calling to report a fire on the side of the road (ya > know where all those fires in california burn thousands of acres and > destroy millions of dollars worth or property ...) its taken 15 > minutes to get hold of CHP on a cell phone. Those fires happen a lot > and the fire departments in many rural areas in CA are volunteer > anyway, so no one is at the firestation. > > > > http://www.nena.org/VoIP_IP/ (nena is the national '911' > organization) > > > > Senate Commerce Committee Approves the IP-Enabled Voice Communications > and Public Safety Act of 2005 > > On Wednesday, November 2, the Senate Commerce Committee approved S > 1063, the "IP-Enabled Voice Communications and Public Safety Act of > 2005" which now awaits action by the full Senate. Following the lead > of the recent FCC Order, the legislation requires VoIP providers to > offer E9-1-1 to their customers. Click herefor a copy of the bill. > Key provisions include the following: > > > · Provides states with the authority to enforce the FCC's > rules in this area and collect fees from VoIP providers > > · Provides liability protection for PSAPs, VoIP providers and > users of VoIP services > > · Ensures that VoIP providers have access to E9-1-1 components > and are treated in the same manner as wireless providers in seeking > access to 9-1-1 components > > · Requires National 9-1-1 Implementation and Coordination > Office to submit a plan to Congress on the migration towards an > IP-Enabled 9-1-1 system > > · Provides explicit authority to FCC to set regulations > concerning E9-1-1 for IP-enabled services > > · Does not allow service cut-off to existing customers through > 12/31/2005 as long as they have notified and received acknowledgement > from those customers on service limitation, but requires VoIP > providers to report on their progress to provide E9-1-1 to these > customers > > · Allows FCC to grant waivers to VoIP providers who have > provided notice and received acknowledgement from customers and who > can demonstrate that it is not "technically or operationally feasible" > to comply with FCC requirements in the given time frame. Granting of > the waiver is not mandatory and is at the discretion of the FCC > > · Prevents VoIP Providers, after 12/31/2005, from offering > service to customers in areas where such providers cannot offer 9-1-1 > or E9-1-1 > > > > > -- > Trixter http://www.0xdecafbad.com Bret McDanel > Belfast +44 28 9099 6461 US +1 516 687 5200 > http://www.trxtel.com the VoIP provider that pays you! > _______________________________________________ > --Bandwidth and Colocation provided by Easynews.com -- > > asterisk-biz mailing list > To UNSUBSCRIBE or update options visit: > http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-biz -- (C) Matthew Rubenstein _______________________________________________ --Bandwidth and Colocation provided by Easynews.com -- asterisk-biz mailing list To UNSUBSCRIBE or update options visit: http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-biz
