VoIP quality -- 911 reliability

[wdr at theworld.com (William D Ricker)]

Doug,

Good heavens, someone else who hasn't canceled World yet.

> Another issue with eliminating the phone line is 911 service.  

We were so close to having universal Enhanced 911 service in this
country, and now folks are fleeing the incumbent telco to either
VOIP or cellular-only, which will really make the dispatcher / calltaker's
life harder again -- where are you REALLY calling from?
(the GPS in phone is crazy, only helps if you have open sky)

As noted, the FCC &c are forcing them to provide it ... as much
luck as they've had with the Cellular 911-enhanced deadline, I don't
take the 120 days as carved in stone.

> Plus your 911 access is then dependent 
> on a broadband provider's network, which in my experience is 
> dramatically less reliable than regular phone service (though perhaps 
> still reliable enough).

And on your power or UPS and on your computer and on a low-cost
competitor service's ability to correctly route 911 to your
community with a decent address.

Maybe reliable enough for single people, but if your girlfriend is
considering having kids, she should demand POTS with at least one
line-powered (no wall-wart, no special features) phone that "always
works" and will be easy for Jr. to hit 9-1-1 and say "Mommy can't
get up" into.

POTS can save your life.   How much is that worth?  If you cancel
your POTS to save money, do you cancel your insurance too? 

FIRE Insurers should charge a sur-charge for people who rely on
cheesy off-brand imitation Enhanced-911 services at home.

[POTS=Plain Old Telephone Service]

-- 
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