With the growing popularity of VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) telephone service, the North Riverside Fire Department would like to take a moment to discuss potential issues customers of these services may have when facing an emergency.

For those who are unfamiliar with what VoIP telephone service is,here is a brief explanation. Using ahigh-speed internet connection (DSL or Cable), and special adapters available at many retail establishments or directly from the provider, a customer can receive telephone service without using a traditional telephone line. The calls are transmitted through a network, similar to a cable television system or the Internet, including incoming calls that ring at your home, office or wherever you have access to a high-speed Internet connection. Many of these services allow you to take your adapter with you wherever you go. For example, if you have a VoIP telephone number at your North Riverside home, you can take the adapter with you and plug it into any high-speed internet connection anywhere in the world and your phone will ring.

This poses a unique situation when facing an emergency. When you dial 9-1-1 from a

traditional phone line, the call is routed through a series of circuits that are routed to your local PSAP (Public Safety Answering Point), which then obtains information from a database that includes the address, registered name and responsible law enforcement, fire and EMS agencies. In most areas, when you dial 9-1-1 from a cellular phone you are routed to a specific PSAP responsible for the cellular tower you are connected to. Since VoIP service is not connected to a specific location, and the call is not connected to traditional phone lines, the calls are processed in a different way.

Many VoIP service providers will not allow 9-1-1 calls from their lines. In these instances, you will often receive a quick busy signal and the call will not go through. While you may know that and everyone in your household may be aware of it, keep in mind someone may need to use your phone in an emergency that may not be aware of this. Ensure babysitters and anyone else who may need to use your phone in an emergency is aware that 9-1-1 calls will not work from your phone. It is a good idea to keep the regular emergency telephone number near each of these phones so that time is not lost searching for it when seconds count.

Some VoIP providers have started offering a very limited version of 9-1-1 to their customers. These companies determine your location based on your billing information and route your call to the local PSAP. Most of the VoIP providers who offer this service require a verification of the location of the adapter's main location and until that verification is completed, 9-1-1 services will not be provided. VoIP 9-1-1 service does not provide traditional information such as your name, address and telephone number. You must be able to provide the telecommunicator with this information yourself. Also, if you are traveling away from your main location and connect your adapter to a high-speed internet connection, and if you need emergency services, dialing 9-1-1 will connect you to your local PSAP at home. Your local PSAP may not be able to connect you with emergency services in the area that you are traveling in.

Still, there are other VoIP providers that do connect directly to your local PSAP. The Village of North Riverside highly recommends that you, as the consumer, thoroughly check out the VoIP provider and what kind of 9-1-1 services they provide before making a decision.

It is important to note: The FCC has recently adopted rules that would give Verizon, Vonage, cable companies and similar VoIP providers just 120 days (from May 20, 2005) to offer robust emergency 9-1-1 services. Among other things, the rules will require covered VoIP providers to deliver all 9-1-1 calls to the customer's local emergency operators. VoIP providers must also provide emergency operators with the customer's callback number and location. For now, customers need to provide VoIP providers with their location information, but the FCC is planning to adopt rules later that would make location detection automatic.

Please direct any inquiries to 708-447-9191. The Village of North Riverside does not endorse any specific telephone provider or service. For more information on VoIP, visit the Federal Communications Commission website at www.fcc.gov/voip.