Weakness in VoIP 911 System Leads to Lawsuit Against Vonage

The State of Texas has sued VoIP provider Vonage for weaknesses in the VOIP 911 system . Note that the issue is not with Vonage itself, but with how 911 calls are handled (or not) by VoIP systems generally.

The Texas Attorney General has sued Vonage claiming that they use deceptive marketing practices because, the lawsuit claims, Vonage does not make it clear enough when one is signing up for their VOIP services that you have to sign up for 911 services separately.

The lawsuit stems from a Vonage customers Peter and Sosamma John being unable to reach 911 from their VOIP telephone during a break-in, during which they were both shot (but fortunately recovered). The Johns had not signed up for the 911 service when they signed up for their Vonage account.

But according to Vonage, new customers are not only prompted twice during the registration process to sign up for 911 services, but customers who have completed the registeration process without signing up for 911 services are reminded to sign up for 911 services every time they log into their Vonage account.

According to a Vonage spokesperson, VoIP customers must register first before being able to have 911 services because the VoIP provider needs to know to where to direct the emergency 911 call. It isn’t like a landline which is fixed by definition to a specific location, or a cellphone which can be located by what cell it is in. Because VOIP services are provided by IP address, a VOIP provider has no way to know where the VOIP device is located unless the customer tells them.

So word up, you VOIP users: register for 911 services with your VOIP provider. Do it now.

Source: http://www.aunty-spam.com/voip-911-w...gainst-vonage/