Wholesale SIP Trunking and Wholesale Hosted PBX emergency service limitations
The 9-1-1 emergency service (VoIP 9-1-1) available with Wholesale SIP Trunking and Wholesale Hosted PBX (“the Services”) is different and limited in a number of ways from traditional wireline 9-1-1 service.
It is the service provider’s responsibility to advise its customers to inform all users and potential users of the nature and limitations of the VoIP 9-1-1 service and to ensure compliance with 9-1-1 regulatory requirements. Please refer to CRTC decisions Telecom Decision CRTC 2005-21 and Telecom Decision CRTC 2005-61 for more information.
What is VoIP 9-1-1?
VoIP 9-1-1 does not automatically send Emergency Call and location information to the nearest emergency response center. The Emergency Call is first answered by a third-party operator. The caller must be ready to provide location information verbally to the operator who will then route the Emergency Call to the appropriate emergency response center based on the information the caller provided.
A web portal is available which subscribers may use to input and update as needed the most likely address and location information for telephone numbers provided with the Services. Due to the nature of the Services, correlation between a telephone number and the address and location of the subscriber is not always possible. The subscriber is solely responsible for providing the correct address and location information via the web portal which may be used by the emergency response center if the 9-1-1 caller is unable to identify their location. If the correct address and location information is not provided, emergency services may be dispatched to the wrong address. In such cases, Bell and its suppliers are not liable for any and all claims or actions arising out of any such misrouted 9-1-1 calls.
What about Emergency Calls made from outside of Canada?
Another phone service should be used to contact emergency services outside of Canada. An operator may answer the call but will not be able to transfer it to the appropriate emergency response center.