Using VoIP or not, having no access to 911 service ‘is a joke in your town’! While that is not the only concern that I personally have about making the switch, it is certainly a motivating factor that might lead me to stick with traditional POTS phone service. Well, the FCC has finally stepped in it would appear. It will be very interesting to see where they take this specific problem.

The Federal Communication Commission said it will move ahead with developing a plan to require emergency 911 calling capability on VoIP phones.

The FCC’s announcement to have 911 in place for all phones comes after Verizon and SBC already have stated that they will speed the process of providing VoIP access to 911.

Despite such movement within the industry, FCC chairman Kevin Martin said he still will propose requirements for providers to ensure that the actions are going forward.

Emergency Services

The focus on 911 for VoIP was prompted by reports that VoIP users were having trouble reaching emergency services like police and fire departments. [Read the rest]