[asterisk-biz] New E911 Bill Will Try to become Law

[Matthew Rubenstein]

	What will this new law do to fix the problem VoIP companies have with
Verizon's monopoly on the phone#/location lookup database, that Verizon
uses to compete with VoIP companies on 911 reliability?


On Thu, 2007-02-01 at 02:33 +0000, Trixter aka Bret McDanel wrote:
> 
> 
> On 2/1/07, Michael Young <myoung at netlogic.net> wrote:
>         Actually, I think you missed the main point: "The
>         Clinton-Snowe-Nelson
>         bill will allow VoIP companies to patch into the 911 networks
>         operated
>         by the traditional phone companies."
>         
>         According to the VON Coalition, the legislation will give VoIP
>         companies 
>         direct access to E911 networks within 120 days, and provides
>         equivalent
>         liability protection for VoIP providers as other phone
>         services have.
>         
>         That, my friends, is a big deal.
> 
> 
> Note this is a 2005 thing, and covers the aspects you mentioned.  It
> may be that its the same bill, I dont have time to read all the links,
> but here is what I found in a few seconds.  Now that its 2007, the
> primaries are starting it comes out about effectively the same thing. 
> 
> If however you are to connect ot the PSAPs directly and not over VoIP
> does that mean physical circuits?  Most telcos have to have a T1 or so
> just for e911 that goes to the PSAP which can be a substantial cost
> for smaller VoIP providers that dont have the ability to have physical
> infrastructure (ie national coverage) but want to provide national
> service.  If you have the 'same rules' as those providers you have to
> have that physical interconnection, although the current regime of
> leasing someone elses network is probably allowed. There is however a
> voIP based spec, I dont know the status of that, or how long its going
> to take to actually implement.
> 
> If these are the same it doesnt make VoIP companies equal to all
> telcos only CMRS providers (mobile phone companies) so in instances
> like California (where 12% of the pouplation is) you may end up
> routing to the highway patrol, who may be totally unable to assist you
> in any reasonable amount of time because you are in a very rural area
> and really should have talked to the sheriff.  Having lived in a rural
> area in california where it can take 20 minutes for the helicopter to
> arrive in an emergency (the amublance takes 10-15 minutes longer and
> usually follows) the delay added by going to CHP first may not be the
> godsend its proclaimed.  
> 
> Many times when calling to report a fire on the side of the road (ya
> know where all those fires in california burn thousands of acres and
> destroy millions of dollars worth or property ...) its taken 15
> minutes to get hold of CHP on a cell phone.  Those fires happen a lot
> and the fire departments in many rural areas in CA are volunteer
> anyway, so no one is at the firestation. 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.nena.org/VoIP_IP/   (nena is the national '911'
> organization)
> 
> 
> 
> Senate Commerce Committee Approves the IP-Enabled Voice Communications
> and Public Safety Act of 2005
> 
> On Wednesday, November 2, the Senate Commerce Committee approved S
> 1063, the "IP-Enabled Voice Communications and Public Safety Act of
> 2005" which now awaits action by the full Senate.  Following the lead
> of the recent FCC Order, the legislation requires VoIP providers to
> offer E9-1-1 to their customers.  Click herefor a copy of the bill.
> Key provisions include the following:
>  
> 
> ·         Provides states with the authority to enforce the FCC's
> rules in this area and collect fees from VoIP providers
> 
> ·         Provides liability protection for PSAPs, VoIP providers and
> users of VoIP services
> 
> ·         Ensures that VoIP providers have access to E9-1-1 components
> and are treated in the same manner as wireless providers in seeking
> access to 9-1-1 components
> 
> ·         Requires National 9-1-1 Implementation and Coordination
> Office to submit a plan to Congress on the migration towards an
> IP-Enabled 9-1-1 system
> 
> ·         Provides explicit authority to FCC to set regulations
> concerning E9-1-1 for IP-enabled services    
> 
> ·         Does not allow service cut-off to existing customers through
> 12/31/2005 as long as they have notified and received acknowledgement
> from those customers on service limitation, but requires VoIP
> providers to report on their progress to provide E9-1-1 to these
> customers 
> 
> ·         Allows FCC to grant waivers to VoIP providers who have
> provided notice and received acknowledgement from customers and who
> can demonstrate that it is not "technically or operationally feasible"
> to comply with FCC requirements in the given time frame.  Granting of
> the waiver is not mandatory and is at the discretion of the FCC
> 
> ·         Prevents VoIP Providers, after 12/31/2005, from offering
> service to customers in areas where such providers cannot offer 9-1-1
> or E9-1-1 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> Trixter http://www.0xdecafbad.com     Bret McDanel
> Belfast +44 28 9099 6461        US +1 516 687 5200
> http://www.trxtel.com the VoIP provider that pays you! 
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(C) Matthew Rubenstein