VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) enables users to make telephone calls over the internet, rather than the traditional telecommunications networks. This makes it a great option for businesses looking to reduce their telecommunications costs, increase their scalability and flexibility, or implement new features that would not be possible on their old phone system. However, one important thing that many business owners overlook when choosing a VoIP provider is whether or not their solution supports emergency services calling.
The short answer to this question is yes, VoIP is capable of supporting emergency services calls. In order to support 911 calling, VoIP solutions need to be interconnected with the PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) so that call routing can take place.
In the United States, this is called e911 service, and it is mandatory for all VoIP providers that interconnect with the PSTN to support e911 service for their customers. In order to provide a full 911 call-taking experience, a VoIP phone needs to be registered with the user’s physical address and associated with this location when the service is set up. The customer is responsible for updating this information if they move locations. This can be a problem with mobile devices, like laptop computers and cell phones, that do not have the ability to change addresses remotely.
When you place a call to 911 from a mobile device, the operator will ask for your address so that they can dispatch an emergency response unit to your location. This information can be manually provided by the user, or if your phone has GPS capability you can use your smartphone’s GPS chipset to automatically provide this information to the 911 operator. This technology is becoming more and more common in smartphones, and modern cellular networks are providing reliable coverage all over the world.
Despite these improvements, there are still some issues that need to be addressed when it comes to using VoIP for emergency services. In order to avoid any potential problems, it is best to choose a trusted VoIP provider that has been used by other businesses in your industry and has good case studies or customer stories available online. It’s also a good idea to have a traditional landline phone and/or a backup telephone as a way of accessing emergency services in the event that your internet or power goes out.
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Using VoIP for emergency services may raise some eyebrows at first, but there are many benefits to it. Just be sure to discuss your options with your IT team and get their comfort level with outside access to your telephony network. They will be able to advise you on the best solution for your business and the best approach for emergency services. The ISDN switch-off is occurring across the globe, and this is a great opportunity for your business to move to VoIP.
