[Asterisk-biz] US e911 reminder

[Paul]

trixter aka Bret McDanel wrote:

>On Wed, 2005-11-30 at 19:39 -0600, asterisk_help at iwishi.nu wrote:
>  
>
>>I'd like to see each PSAP work into their contracts a requirment for IP 
>>connectivity from their local telco. (or other provider) Would make this 
>>SO MUCH EASIER!
>>    
>>
>
>This may be a reality in time, as right now they are governed by both
>state and federal laws.  One thing the FCC did was push to get IP
>providers into the mix, a requirement they never had to do before.  A
>good showing to the FCC that this is a reasonable requirement might go a
>long way, since it is them that ordered the interconnection in the first
>place.  They should make that interconnection reasonable.
>
>Most VoIP providers do not have a national network.  Vonage paid a lot
>to interconnect nationally, most providers, especially smaller ones just
>got priced out of the game.
>
>To effectively mandate that you pay every ilec in a given area or go
>through a service provider that specializes in this is somehat
>questionable in my mind.  I think that may be a bit much to ask for in
>the next few months, but a strong coalition of VoIP providers may make
>this easier.  However, there are security concerns to balance this out,
>do you really want every PSAP to be inet connected?  Although the other
>side of that is they effectively are if VoIP providers are connected to
>them somehow.
>
>This is certainly an issue that needs to be dealt with and not just
>ignored.  Telecom has changed forever, the rules that cover it should
>change with it and not force legacy only solutions that favor one class
>of providers at the expense of others.
>  
>
Next step is for the FCC to require some real verification of the e911
address. Every voip provider should start planning now for the day when
they have to create an FCC enforcement department. Things like choosing
uniforms that show authority can be done now.

I say this jokingly but think about the following hypothetical situation:

1) Acme voip offers the best deal ever in retail voip plans. They can
only provide e911 to people in the Gotham City area so they do not
accept new customers from elsewhere.

2) The word gets around on lists like these that all you have to do is
provide the address of a major office building in Gotham City in order
to signup with Acme. They don't dispute billing address being different
since it is quite common for the hq office in another city to pay the
bills for a branch office in Gotham City.

3) Eventually somebody connected with the PSAP notices that certain
addresses seem to have way too many new phone lines. They investigate
and learn how easily end users can put bogus information into the
system. The state and local governments take the issue up with Acme and
the FCC. The argument pushed hardest is that whatever is just and fair
for acme should fit all voip providers.

4) The result is FCC ruling that ALL voip providers have to implement
e911 address verification procedures.

5) I get rich because I anticipated this and built a nationwide "rent a
voip cop" business. Even Vonage has to pay me :)