On Fri, 1 Apr 2005, Stephen Sprunk wrote:
I understand the woes of mixing 911 and VoIP myself, although I'm not a Vonage user. The VoIP phone on my desk connects 911 calls to the Vancouver, BC, PSAP (since it's off a PBX at work), but I also know the direct-dial number for the local Dallas, TX, PSAP -- the emergency line, not the "administrative" line that Vonage uses -- and if I bothered, I could easily set the PBX to reroute 911 there instead. Location information is tougher, but I have to tell the operator my location on a cell phone too, so it's not a deal-killer.
It kinda makes you wonder how people contacted the police in the early 80s, completely discounting that people had even conceived of the notion of 'emergency' before the 70s.
When I was a kid, I was made to memorize my home address, my phone number, an emergency contact number, and the local police number. 911, while a great idea, is a classic example of the desire to let technology replace basic common sense.
I don't mean to get off on a rant here..
- billn