Emergency Officials Issue VoIP Warning

Emergency Officials Issue VoIP Warning

Emergency service operators are issuing cautionary warnings about the use of voice-over-Internet-protocol (VoIP) phone service following the death of a Calgary toddler.

An eighteen-month-old child died after his family called 911 over a VoIP phone and the ambulance was dispatched to their former home in Ontario instead of their current home in Calgary.

Edmonton's emergency services, for example, is advising to know the limitations of accessing 9-1-1 in an emergency.

VoIP, which uses broadband internet connections instead of the traditional telephone network, has been increasing in popularity since its inception several years ago. However, the nomadic and non-native categories present a number of challenges for Emergency Communications Centres receiving 9-1-1 calls, the agency describes.

Fixed VoIP systems, like Shaw digital phone, provide full Enhanced 9-1-1, Edmonton's emergency services departmnet stated in a release.

Nomadic VoIP systems, from providers such as Vonage and Comwave, are not Enhanced 9-1-1 and do not meet the definition of Basic 9-1-1. Non-native VoIP systems have a number based in a different municipality and are also not Enhanced 9-1-1 systems.

Emergency calls dialed using nomadic and non-native systems have to be answered by a third-party operator service so they can then be transferred to an Emergency Communications Centre.

"The traditional 9-1-1 system, based on the use of landlines, is equipped with what is known as Enhanced 9-1-1. That system ensures that an emergency call will go to the Emergency Communications Centre in the city where the individual is located," said Devon Card, Branch Manager of Operational Services for the City of Edmonton. "At the same time, it also provides automatic address and telephone number information to make certain help will find the caller, even if they unable to speak."

Other possible 9-1-1 limitations when using nomadic or non-native categories of
VoIP include:

• A potential delay in response due to the wrong Emergency Communications Centre receiving the 9-1-1 call or call being transfer to a non-emergency line.
• If a caller is unable to speak, or if the call is disconnected, the operator may not have automatic location information to give to emergency communications specialists.
• VoIP customers may not be able to access 9-1-1 during a power failure or if there is a disruption to the internet connection.

"Consumers should be asking questions about how you can access 9-1-1 in an emergency before deciding whether or not to purchase a VoIP service," Card added. "You don't want to find out about those limitations during an emergency. Consumers need to be asking questions so they have a full understand of their service."

Emergency responders also advise that those with a nomadic or non-native VoIP service use a cell phone in emergency situations.