[Asterisk-Users] OT: DSL without voice

[Ed Robbins]

On Fri, 17 Dec 2004, Joe Greco wrote:

> > On Fri, 17 Dec 2004, Joe Greco wrote:
> >
> > > > Joe Greco schrieb:
> > > >
> > > > > Don't forget, you ought to have a conventional phone line for E911
> > > > > purposes, including "what happens when a hurricane goes through and my ISP
> > > > > becomes toast". VoIP is a neat technology but it lacks the resiliency of
> > > > > the traditional phone system.
> > > >
> > > > For this you can take your mobile. When my local company (T-Com) decides
> > > > to allow ADSL without a phone line I will take it. I've got my mobile
> > > > for cases of emergency.
> > > >
> > > > And since in germany there is really no danger of a hurricane the
> > > > stability of the mobile nets should be sufficient. ;-)
> > >
> > >
> > > I do think the thing that worries me about this trend is the unexpected
> > > scenario.  Right now, we have a fairly high quality E911 system (dunno
> > > about where you are) and people expect that they can dial "911" and the
> > > right things happen.
> > >
> > > So what if you've got some friends visiting your house and you have a heart
> > > attack and no 911 on your POTS-via-VoIP?  Are they expected to know your
> > > cell phone's unlock code?  Are they required to bring their own cells as a
> > > prerequisite for visiting?  Or is it acceptable for them to have to go
> > > finding a neighbor who has a usable POTS phone?

This is what I'm struggling with at the moment.  I want to set up PSTN ->
VoIP but I haven't completely settled on how to handle a 911 situation.  I
can certainly train my family, but others....

What makes it difficult for me is that I don't get cell service at my
house, it's the price I pay for living in the boonies, but a sacrafice I'm
willing to make.

 > >
> > This random thought just popped into my head: Seems like I've read that
> > any cell handset will place a 911 call, regardless of whether it is
> > associated with a valid and paid-up account. Is that true?

Yes, a volunteer firefighter in VT was just arrested because he was making
911 calls on a discarded cell phone he found.  It wasn't attached to any
service, but he could make all the 911 calls he wanted.  He was making
false calls of fire and auto accidents to watch the responders.  He was
finally caught because someone in the 911 service recognized his voice.

 If so, then
> > maybe we could just attach GSM interfaces to our asterisk box to provide
> > communications in the unlikely emergency (so long as the LAN and * box
> > have power to operate, that is). Whaddaya think?
>
> In five years, when GPS cell phone location services are mature and stable,
> this is probably a fairly good solution.

However, this will require some external interface, external meaning
outside, for the GPS.  I have yet to see a GPS unit that will lock on in
a house or building.

 >
> Until then, it suffers the same problems as contemporary 911-via-cell
> service.  :-/
>
> It's that whole early adopter thing again.  Heh.


So given all that, I'm looking for ideas and solutions that others have
implemented to address this issue.

Ed