911 Service and VoIP

[Leo Mauler]

--- Luke-Jr <luke at dashjr.org> wrote:

> On Wednesday 16 November 2005 01:05, Leo Mauler
> wrote:
> > --- Garrett Goebel <garrett at scriptpro.com> wrote:
> > > Whenever it becomes affordable, I will switch to
> > > VOIP for local and long distance voice service
> > > through someone like SunRocket
> > > http://www.sunrocket.com for $200/year.
> >
> > About the only reasons I don't switch to any kind
> > of VoIP are 911 service 
> > (the 911 dispatcher knows where you are with
> > regular phone service but not with VoIP),
> 
> If you can dial 911, why can't you say where you
> are? :\

If you ever have a condition, such as a heart attack,
which causes you to gasp for breath and be unable to
speak, but leave you able to dial the phone (or at
least punch the 911 speed-dial button), you'll find
out just how important it is to have the 911
dispatcher know where your phone is located, without
any input from you.

And you would probably be surprised to find out that
when, for example, you've just accidentally cut deeply
into your thumb with a broken light bulb, and you
can't seem to stop the flow of blood, you find
yourself so panicked that you temporarily forget where
you live.  Thankfully the POTS system saved me, the
911 dispatcher knew where to send the ambulance.  I'd
hate to think what would have happened had I been on a
VoIP system.

> > or runs out in six hours when the built-in UPS
> > runs out of battery power.
> 
> And I'm sure the POTS batteries will never die when
> the power goes out either...

Yes, if you're dumb enough to have only cordless
phones in the house.  Apparently the POTS backup power
kicks right in and lasts for days.

> > That ice storm a few years back knocked out the
> > power for two days, knocking out cable service 
> > too (one battery-powered TV).  Phone lines worked 
> > fine for both days, allowing me to call the 
> > electric and cable companies for information. 
> 
> Ouch... two days is much too long for power to be
> out :(  What did people with electric heating do?

We got very cold, which we told our friends with
regular phone service.  We couldn't tell our friends
with VoIP service, their UPS batteries were dead after
six hours.



		
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