In the 1960s the 911 system was implemented, when only landlines mainly existed for the common public. This meant anyone dialing a 911 phone call, the address linked to the phone line would be the location of the caller.
A complication regarding location identification occurred when cell phones and VoIP came into the picture. Since 911 location services are very critical to successful emergency response, it was important to allocate locations to calls that are even made through VoIP.
E911 Explained
E911 means Enhanced 911 that is a section of a public telephone system that ties location details of a phone call automatically. When anyone calls 911 the caller’s location is transmitted to the emergency personnel. The location could be an address or a coordinate. It will help emergency workers to know where to go when an emergency call is received.
The caller’s location is easily identifiable in the case of a landline tied to the landline number. But for VoIP phones or mobile devices where calls are made via an internet connection it is little bit complicated.
When a 911 call is made via VoIP, knowing the exact location of caller is difficult. But E911 makes sure that the dispatchers know exactly where the first responders should go. Due to this, E911 is a necessity so that the caller’s location and their critical situation gets correctly reported which will help the responders get to them quickly.
RAY BAUM’s Act mandates E911, by which the first responders should have, in hand- information they require to pinpoint the emergency location regardless of the device used by the caller, be it a VoIP Office device or even a mobile device. Therefore, it is mandatory for all multi-line phone systems that could place phone calls to have an E911 system.
What does it mean for Business?
The FCC (Federal Communications Commission) implies that the connected VoIP service devices should provide dispatchable location information whenever 911 calls are made from these devices. As far as the business is concerned, the VoIP providers are legally responsible for determining the location of every fixed device attached to their communication system. Whether be device be a physical one that’s located on the premises system or be it in the cloud.
Fortunately, VoIP Office can help companies to speed up and reliably provide public safety by connecting 911 callers. At the same time, it helps in protecting users and meet regulatory demands of the business.
Advantages of E911
Several benefits exist that elevates E911 system above the traditional 911 calls as every advantage helps in saving a life. A few advantages include,
- Emergency Response is Faster
- Improved Reliability
- Increased Safety
- Accurate location information
- Manage E911 from the same interface as other phone lines
- Compliance with regulations
Conclusion
911 connects calls to a Public Safety Answer Point and never provides any other details. Whereas E911 or Enhanced 911 comprises of extra systems like automatic location identification, automatic number identification and street address. This helps in routing calls to the best Public Safety Answer Point and present them with caller ID along with physical address. E911 helps in improving public safety by making it smooth to deploy emergency services effectively.