[asterisk-users] 911 multple-alert question

[Nunya Biznatch]

You're absolutely correct. The 911 system maintenance is a PITA.

Our current PBX routes all 911 calls to an box we call the "Proctor 
Box". That box does a couple things. First, it assigns an ANI to a 
number. So for example, 3-digit extensions get a real 10-digit numbers 
assigned. It then routes that 911 call out a dedicated CAMA trunk to the 
PSAP. Additionally , we pay a third party company to upload our location 
data to the ALI database, so when our provided ANI hits the PSAP, they 
can pull proper location info out of the ALI database.

The other thing this box does is feed a couple local display terminals. 
These terminals alarm and display local information from it's own 
internal database during a 911 call for local security folks. In the 
meantime, I have the PBX itself which contains its own telephone 
directory with location and department information, and it's own 
Emergency Services ID. It will use this ID if the CAMA trunks are out of 
service and the phone system decides to route the 911 call out a normal 
PRI. This data we try to use as a baseline for the 911 data. So we 
currently have multiple databases I have to keep 100% in sync, with a 
1000+ set campus with people moving constantly amongst the 25+ 
buildings. It's a nightmare.

Basically, as we migrate to Asterisk, I need to figure out if I can 
replicate our current functionality. The preference is to come up with 
something much nicer than a half-dozen data points that are never in 
synch. If I can't find a solution in Asterisk, then I'm stuck using 
something like we already have.

...and yes, as you have imagined, there have been a few FUs in the past. 
We've dodged a number of bullets. I'm hoping I can resolve this when we 
migrate.

I will look into the local channel variable in the sip.conf. That sounds 
promising. If I populate that data, how does it make it to the display 
of a phone on campus? I guess that's a piece I haven't either read or 
been able to wrap my head around yet.

Thanks!

On 6/12/2012 5:50 PM, Steve Edwards wrote:
> On Tue, 12 Jun 2012, Nunya Biznatch wrote:
>
>> I also need location data. I know there are ways to do it, but I 
>> don't have the kung-fu for things like databases, and am wondering if 
>> there's something simple in Asterisk like a flat file used to 
>> correlate phone number and location.
>
> 1) The Asterisk database? You can access it with dialplan applications.
>
> 2) Set the location as a channel variable in sip.conf? (Keeps all of 
> the 'phone specific' stuff in one place.
>
> Just being a bit paranoid, but fiddling with 911 calls always makes me 
> nervous. I'd dial the 'real' 911 call over a copper pair first and 
> then after (or in parallel) do all your kewl stuff.
>
> I'm sure there will be a lawyer somewhere out there just itching to 
> sue when the 'real' 911 call doesn't happen because of some minor FU 
> on your part.
>
> What's your legal exposure if your location data is wrong? I think I'd 
> want a letter absolving me of liability signed by the CEO in my back 
> pocket.
>