[Asterisk-Users] Testing UK emergency dialing and LCR.

[Kevin Walsh]

Wayne [Wayne at planetWayne.com] wrote:
> Just wondering how people test your emergency dialing in the UK.
> Obviously you need to dial the 999 for emergency services, but am a bit
> unsure if this would go down too well with the operator with a 'sorry
> just testing' call. (you do all /test/ your emergency dialing dont
> you!?:-) ) 
>
I tend to test by unplugging the phone line and dialling 999.
You can watch the log and see that the call attempted to route
to the POTS line.  You can then dial a "real" POTS number and
watch the same route succeed.

The emergency services get very upset if you call them to test,
unless you've arranged to do so in advance and have an allotted
time slot.

You're right though; you can't be absolutely sure that the 999
route will work until you test it with a real call.  Just start
a fire before you call.  That'll probably work. :-)

> 
> As another thing, what is the correct method when using least cost
> routing... If you have a branch office that has no outside line
> connectivity directly routing its calls over IP to HQ the other end of
> the country when you dial 999 it gets handled by the local call center
> to your HQ rather than the branch office.
> 
If you need emergency services access in your branch office then
you should get a single line into that office.  The emergency
services tend to rush to the destination they "know" is correct for
that phone number.

By the way, it's useful to map 911 and 112 onto your 999 route
for the benefit of foreigners who don't know any better.

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