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IPCC Salutes the FCC's E9-1-1 Stance
By DAVID SIMS
TMCnet CRM Alert Columnist
The International Packet Communications Consortium, is applauding the Federal Communications Commission's Enforcement Bureau guidance on the required November 28, 2005 filing of compliance letters by interconnected VoIP providers regarding the provision of E9-1-1.
The guidance refers to the FCC's June 3, 2005 order requiring that interconnected VoIP providers provide E9-1-1 emergency calling capabilities to new and existing customers by November 28, 2005.
The IPCC is an international association dedicated to the advancement of Voice over Internet Protocol over broadband cable, wireline and wireless technologies. Full disclosure: In addition to Cisco Systems, Global Crossing, Kancharla and VoIP Inc., the IPCC counts TMC VoIP as a member of its working groups.
The legislation relaxing the deadline, S. 1063, "waives the current November deadline and requires revised FCC rules within 120 days from the date the bill is enacted. Providers still have to warn subscribers that 911 and E-911 service is unavailable and receive confirmation from subscribers that this message is understood. The bill goes on to waive E-911 rules for up to four years if the service provider meets a specific set of tests."
"Initially, the FCC mandated that VoIP providers disconnect customers who did not acknowledge the limitations of their existing 911 services by the end of September and disconnect those without comparable E911 service by year's end," according to Computer Business Review.
In May, the FCC ordered that VoIP providers must provide a way for their customers to reach an emergency dispatcher when they call 911 the way it works from standard phones, which is to say dispatchers also must be able to identify the caller’s phone number and location on the screen, without requiring someone who’s fallen and can’t get up to rattle it off. The deadline was set for November 28th.
IPCC Chairman Michael Khalilian said the VoIP industry has made tremendous progress as a result of the FCC's requirements: "We are pleased that the Commission recognized this progress and the importance of ensuring the uninterrupted delivery of services while VoIP providers continue to expedite the adoption of E9-1-1 solutions.
"Moreover, the IPCC is encouraged by the FCC's approval of the compliance plan submitted by various VoIP providers. We believe it reflects a willingness to permit the use of innovative technical solutions to protect the safety of VoIP customers."
David Sims is contributing editor for TMCnet. For more articles by David Sims, please visit:
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