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VoIP E911 Problem Solved Just in Time to Meet The FCC Order |
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Written by Leon D. Zetekoff, NCE
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Thursday, 16 June 2005 |
From VoIP News:
On May 19, 2005, the Federal Communications Commission took
steps to protect consumers by requiring that certain providers
of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone service supply
enhanced 911 (E911) emergency calling capabilities to their
customers as a mandatory feature of the service.
Interconnected VoIP providers must comply with these
requirements, and submit to the Commission a letter detailing
such compliance, no later than 120 days after the effective
date of the Order. Finally, the Commission stated its
intention to adopt an advanced E911 solution that includes a
method for determining the customer's location without the
customer having to self report this information.
A group in Dallas, Texas has developed a breakthrough solution
to the FCC's Order that is in testing and recently received a
notice of issuance from the United States Patent and Trademark
Office (USPTO) for patent application number 20040140928. This
is the only patent known to have ever been issued by the USPTO
covering 911 in the VoIP market and solves the biggest problem
in providing VoIP 911 services. This problem centers around
the mobile or nomadic user whose location is very difficult to
pinpoint for emergency dispatch.
The patent covers a system, a method, an apparatus, and
software that handles an emergency IP request using an IP
enabled device having Global Positioning System (GPS)
capability. If emergency criteria are satisfied, global
positioning data is obtained using the GPS capability and the
emergency IP request is sent, local emergency services data
based on the global positioning data is obtained, a call
center station based on the local emergency services data is
dialed, and an emergency call from the IP enabled device to
the call center station is passed.
In a June, 2005 article in Billing World and OSS Today -
Regulatory Watch: VoIP Providers must Provide E911 Function,
Even for Vacationing Subs, it is pointed out that VoIP
providers that fail to meet the FCC's requirements within 120
days, "won't be allowed to provide service in the United
States." The article further attributes comments to executives
at both Level 3 Communications and Intrado stating that GPS
technology attached to VoIP phones is a solution to this
problem, and that, "a number of smart people in the industry
are trying to find ways to integrate GPS or some other unique
identifier so location can be determined in real time, without
the customer having to notify the VoIP provider through a
phone call or Web portal."
FCC Chairman Kevin J. Martin stated that a VoIP 911 solution
was "a matter of life and death." This group has the most cost
effective, most precise and the only patented VoIP 911
solution.For
additional information, please email:
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