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

[Matt]

How is this new?  We've had to be 911 compliant since last year!
Nothing new.. move along folks.

On 1/31/07, TV Guy <macpissed at gmail.com> wrote:
> Nelson, Clinton, Snowe REIntroduce Voice Over Internet E-911 Legislation
>
> Bill Will Prevent Tragedies By Making Sure Calls for Help Made On
> Internet-Based Telephone Service Connect to Local 911
>
> Washington, DC - Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL); Senator Hillary Rodham
> Clinton (D-NY), Co-Chair of the Congressional E-911 Caucus and Senator
> Olympia Snowe (R-ME) today announced that they have reintroduced the
> IP Enabled Voice Communications and Public Safety Act.  The bill
> addresses the need to ensure the growing number of Voice Over Internet
> Protocol (VoIP) telephone service subscribers have full access to 911,
> including Enhanced (E)-911 capability that allows 911 dispatchers to
> trace the phone number and location of calls for help.
>
> Unfortunately, we ve seen the tragic consequences when consumers can t
> connect to 911 services through their Internet phone company,  Senator
> Nelson said.  VoIP subscribers should feel confident that they will
> have access to emergency services it could be a matter of life or
> death.
>
> It is critical that the millions of households using this technology
> can reach 911 when tragedy strikes.  All emergency calls, whether made
> on a land line, cell phone or Internet-based phone service, need a
> rapid response.  It could truly make the difference in saving a life,
> said Senator Clinton.
>
> The inability of the emergency response network to keep pace with
> voice over Internet protocol technology has left millions of VoIP
> subscribers without guaranteed access to emergency services, Senator
> Snowe said.  Innovation and technological advances should improve the
> lives of Americans, not endanger them.  VoIP subscribers should not be
> susceptible to substandard emergency service simply because they are
> on the cutting edge of in home telecommunications technology.
>
> VoIP telephone customers are connected to broadband internet lines
> instead of traditional phone lines.  Ensuring that 911 calls made from
> VoIP phones are properly routed and responded to has presented new
> challenges to public safety officials.  There have been several
> tragedies in which VoIP 911 calls were either routed to closed
> business offices instead of emergency dispatcher or could not be
> connected.
>
> The Clinton-Snowe-Nelson bill will allow VoIP companies to patch into
> the 911 networks operated by the traditional phone companies. The bill
> also ensures that consumers are fully informed if their VoIP provider
> cannot ensure that their 911 call will be properly routed in an
> emergency.  Furthermore, the legislation tasks the National E-911
> Implementation Coordination Office -- created under the ENHANCE Act
> introduced by Senator Clinton and signed into law in 2004 -- to
> develop a plan for a nationwide network and make recommendations to
> Congress in order to ensure that all 911 VoIP calls are responded to
> properly.
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