Kansas City, Mo. – A federal appeals court refused Tuesday to delay new Federal Communications Commission guidelines requiring Internet telephone companies to provide reliable 911 emergency-call service.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia denied a motion filed two weeks ago by a group of Internet telephone companies that claims the regulations are unreasonable.
In May, the FCC ordered providers of Internet-based phone calls, sometimes called Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, to certify that customers will be able to reach an emergency dispatcher when they call 911. Dispatchers also must be able to identify the caller’s phone number and location.
The companies were given until Nov. 28 to comply, and many providers worried that they would be forced to disconnect customers who didn’t have full 911 service.
The FCC issued the order after a series of highly publicized incidents in which Internet phone users were unable to connect with a live emergency dispatch operator when calling 911.
FCC officials clarified their position last week, saying companies that don’t achieve reliable 911 service by Nov. 28 will not have to pull the plug on customers. But they will have to discontinue marketing Internet call service and accepting new customers in areas where the companies are not routing 911 calls to emergency-response centers.
For information on a
number of Internet-based
phone services, including
pricing, check these
websites:
www.comcast.com
www.qwest.com
www.vonage.com
www.netzero.com
