Source: www.voip-news.com

E911 Manager from RedSky Technologies is compatible with Nortel Communications Server 1000 (CS1000). The company just announced the success completion of testing in a Nortel lab. The product is also compatible with Nortel’s CS2100 server.

“RedSky offers a comprehensive E911 solution for Nortel CS 2100 and CS 1000 customers. E911 Manager’s enhanced Network Discovery is ideal for large customers who need to identify callers down to the desktop,” said Bob Kimble, RedSky director of Business Development for the Nortel Channel.

E911 Manager automatically tracks and manages location information for analog, digital and IP phones, allowing for the easy locating of employees in emergencies.

According to the companies:

The Communication Server 1000 is a full-featured IP PBX solution and a cornerstone for Enterprise unified communications deployments from a few hundred to several thousand users. The Communication Server 1000 provides the benefits of a converged network plus advanced applications and over 750 world-class telephony features. Fully distributed over IP LAN & WAN infrastructure with built-in reliability and survivability, Communication Server 1000 supports business-critical applications, including unified messaging, customer contact center, IVR, wireless VoIP and IP phones.

The Communication Server 2100 is a large-scale enterprise converged solution based on its carrier derivative, the Communication Server 2000, which is deployed and proven in the world’s leading service providers’ networks. The Communication Server 2100 addresses the needs of demanding large enterprises and the U.S. government with a highly scalable converged solution deploying a “best of all worlds” philosophy. The Communication Server 2100 incorporates Nortel’s leading enterprise features and applications, plus combines the carrier attributes of scalability, reliability and networking typically only found in carrier solutions.

Source: www.voip-news.com

XO Communications has inked a deal with VIXXI Solutions.

Under the agreement, XO will refer their customers to VIXXI Solutions for their E911 needs. According to XO: “VIXXI was chosen because their IP-based, geospatial technology is ideal for VoIP vendors who are required by the FCC to provide their customers with an E911 Solution that identifies caller location information and correctly routes emergency calls to the appropriate PSAP.”

XO considered factors like speed of deployment, cost-effectiveness, flexibility, scalability and compliance when choosing the vendor. VIXXI’s geospatial routing set them apart.

Source: www.voip-news.com

E911 providers say that compliance with the new E911 rules is critical for VoIP companies in light of Monday’s FCC ruling that strengthened compliance rules. Failure to adhere to E911 rules could negatively impact sales and create unnecessary liability.

VIXXI, an E911 provider, is using what they call “efficient geospatial technology,” that exceeds compliancy standards and lowers costs for VoIP providers.

“It’s important for VoIP companies to understand the risk of not providing the best E911 technology available, both from a liability and sales perspective. Consumers are considering 911 functionality and their family’s safety when selecting a VoIP provider,” said Stefanie Linnemann, Marketing Analyst for VIXXI. “The good news is that VoIP providers can protect their customers with minimal time and resource investment. Efficient IP technology saves our customers 20% or more off their current E911 costs.”

According to VIXXI:

While E911 historically has been a challenge that comes with the territory for VoIP providers, companies like VIXXI are making it easy to provide exceptional E911 functionality at aggressive prices. E911 is no longer a necessary distraction from a VoIP provider’s core business; it has evolved into a means for VoIP companies to quickly and cost-effectively differentiate themselves in an area of high priority for voice consumers.

Source: www.voip-news.com

Well, here’s a steal. Vaioni is offering its hosted business class VoIP for just £6 per user per month. Read about it at VoIP News of the UK.

Here’s a big deal going on: Logitech is buying SightSpeed for $30 million. Read about it here.

The FCC has ordered all VoIP providers to provide access to E911. Read it here.

Source: www.voip-news.com

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the New and Emerging Technologies 911 Improvement Act of 2008. The act allows VoIP providers to interconnect to the traditional 911 network that incumbent telephone providers operate.

“Vonage is grateful for the many efforts in Congress to make this legislation a priority. It helps consumers, Public Safety and Vonage support the best possible emergency solution,” said Jeffrey Citron, Chairman, Chief Strategist, and Interim CEO of Vonage. “With over 98% of our subscriber’s lines with access to E911, Congress has provided additional tools, leadership and encouragement to get all parties to work together.”

The bill had already passed the U.S. Senate and is awaiting presidential approval.

Vonage’s E911 solution automatically connects customer calls to the appropriate 911 center.

Source: snapvoip.blogspot.com

ARS is covering the e911, real 911 services for VoIP, Voice over IP services. Although FCC has been pushing for VoIP solution providers to provide proper 911 services known as e911, too much political and legal wrangling has lead to uninformed general public meeting with trouble while trying to use 911 services, like when they had PSTN services.
Finally we might be getting somewhere now that the bill submitted by Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK) has been approved by senate.

"All VoIP customers are one step closer to having "real" 911 services accessible tothem, thanks to the Senate. The body passed the IP-Enabled Voice Communications and Public Safety Act last night, a bill that had been proposed by Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK). The legislation was approved by the Senate Commerce Committee last year, and will now go on to the House of Representatives for further consideration."
ARSTechnica Article.

Source: snapvoip.blogspot.com

As with any changes to the way we communicate making it much bigger issue for the emergency services, Dan Worth of BAPCO reported from The London Fire Brigade Training Centre, where the South East Region conference, “What does VoIP offer?”, was held recently.
The curate’s egg that is VoIP is currently presenting both positives and problems and it still requires a critical eye to make sure technology does not lead purely because it can. But as conferences such as this demonstrate, there are companies and protocols being developed all the time that the emergency services will be able to turn to for guidance.

The 33 delegates in attendance (plus attendees from exhibiting companies) also enjoyed guided tours of the London Fire Brigade Museum that had been organized so they could appreciate how far emergency services had developed over the years.

Companies exhibiting at the conference were: Avaya, APD, Mercury – Technology, CYFAS, Samdale, Extreme Networks, Arqiva, Resilience Communications and Milltelecom.

Bapco report includes;
Transforming communication using VoIP
Bruce Everest, Emergency Technologies Director, Avaya
Bruce Everest of Avaya, the sponsor for the day, looked at how VoIP has impacted companies and the emergency services from a business point of view.

The Emergency Services’ perspective
Lee Warhurst, Secretary to ACPO Communications Group
Serving Police Officer Lee Warhurst gave some perspectives on the Emergency Services’ concerns with regard to emergency calls being made over VoIP systems, as well as giving an overview of the Ofcom consultations into the regulation of VoIP services and the potential issues this has raised.

Handling VoIP emergency calls
John Medland, BT 999 Policy Manager
Starting with some statistics John Medland underlined that VoIP only makes up a relatively small percentage of the calls that come through to emergency centre control rooms – about 1,000 a month compared to 2.4 million a month from fixed and mobile numbers. But despite this the issues surrounding VoIP still demand serious attention.

VoIP forensics and evidence gathering
Mark Hayward, Security Consultant, SELEX Communications
The talk was opened with the straight-to-the-point statement that ‘VoIP is hackable’, and Mark went on to outline some of the ways in which this can happen. He also looked at some of the actual and potential solutions to this hacking. Flooding the network with info to stop voice calls being made, eavesdropping on conversations to gather information or even to save money are some of the way VoIP can be attacked. Identity fraud can take place too and there are numerous free-to-download programs designed to allow people to hack into VoIP accounts.

Converged communications within public sector and Emergency Services
Kelly Scott, Extreme Networks
The final talk of the day focused on the need for a network infrastructure that provides organizations, groups, and people, a secure, reliable and available environment to guarantee application delivery and combat the security issues of today’s networks.
One could find the complete article VOIP – out with the old in with the new.

Source: snapvoip.blogspot.com

OFCOM the Telecom regulator in UK is concerned that VoIP providers do not provide emergency services calls and has decided to act because of the growing popularity of VoIP. We have reported about it in last July but now OFCOM have released the revised documentations and regulations.
Ofcom said the same condition will apply to VoIP providers from 8th September next year. Traditional landline and mobile telephones provide emergency services for free on 999 and 112 equivalent of 911 in the USA. In USA all VoIP Providers need to provide E911 Services. FCC is the regulatory equivalent of OFCOM.
OFCOM has laid out all the necessary requirements including exclusions and inclusions. All the information could be found here at the OFCOM announcement.

Source: snapvoip.blogspot.com

Nov 13, 2007: The 911 Modernization and Public Safety Act passed in the House of Representatives by roll call vote. The bill will promote and enhance public safety by facilitating the rapid deployment of IP-enabled 911 and E-911 services, encourage the Nation’s transition to a national IP-enabled emergency network, and improve 911 and E-911 access to those with disabilities. The vote was held under a suspension of the rules to cut debate short and pass the bill, needing a two-thirds majority. The totals were 406 Ayes, 1 Nays, 25 Present/Not Voting. The Bill is an effort to bring Internet telephony companies in compliance with new Federal Communications Commission rules, will now allow VoIP providers, such as Skype, Vonage the direct access to the backbone of the E911 system which is in the hands of large telecom carriers.
The Bill H.R.3403

Source: snapvoip.blogspot.com

If approved, the 911 Modernization and Public Safety Act (H.R. 3403), which is being introduced by Rep. Bart Gordon (D-Tenn.), would give VoIP companies and other news-related services a direct path to 911 service.
They will be able to by pass cumbersome e911 requirements easily without going through incumbent CLECs. The current Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rules only allow traditional telephone service carriers to connect directly with the 911 system backbone to avoid swamping the service during emergencies. So all the VoIP companies have to pay big boys to be able to access 911.
COAT, The Coalition of Organizations for Accessible Technology, also active in supporting this bill.

"This bill just gives them the tools to actually provide 911 access," said Dana Lichtenberg, legislative director for Gordon. "They’ve been limping along" without these abilities.
In 1999, Congress passed a similar right to cellular phone service carriers, giving them liability protection when handling 911 calls on wireless networks. "Basically, this is a ‘me, too,’" Lichtenberg said. "We’re just adding VoIP to the list."

The bill has already been cleared by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce’s Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet. It goes next to the full House Committee on Energy and Commerce for consideration, and if approved there, could go to a vote by the full House before the end of the year.

Source: voipcentral.org

It is more or less apparent that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is no way detracting from its stand on VoIP E911 issue notwithstanding vehement criticism from industries.

The Commission is now seeking public comment for the smooth implementation of VoIP E911 services ensuring emergency responders to find callers using a mobile or VoIP system.

FCC has framed a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM), the primary objective of which is to advance polices, rules and initiatives that will better ensure rapid emergency response and save lives.

Kevin Martin, the Chairman of FCC says on NPRM,

E911 ensures that when someone dials 911 during an emergency, public safety can easily and reliably find them. To achieve that goal, we need to ensure that our enhanced 911 rules provide meaningful automatic location information that permits first responders to reliably find the public.

The Commission would look into and publicly report on the issues before reaching out a constructive decision on VoIP E911.

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Source: voipcentral.org

I am surprised that big giant like AT&T is canceling VoIP accounts showing inability to provide E911 services.

A Slashdot report points out that the company has sent termination letters to the VoIP customers clarifying suspension of VoIP service in a month and permanently disconnection in two months.

AT&T has explained that the technical problems associated with E911 service have forced the company to terminate VoIP accounts.

If AT&T remains firm in its stand, I guess the VoIP E911 service will not see light of the day.

The FCC has made it mandatory for the VoIP companies to ensure emergency services like mobile operators.

Interestingly, the announcement came just a few days after the Senate Commerce Committee has approved the VoIP E911 bill brining the right to access essential 911 components for the service providers.

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