Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I dial 9-1-1 from my VoIP phone? 
You can reach emergency assistance by dialing 9-1-1 on most VoIP phones. However, there are important differences between some VoIP 9-1-1 emergency dialing and traditional 9-1-1 service from a standard phone. It is important to familiarize yourself with these differences. Often the 9-1-1 call taker will not have a display of the number you called from or your location. In addition, your call may arrive at a remote private call center or a non-emergency line, without a display of your location.

2. How do I know what level of 9-1-1 Service I have with my VoIP phone? 
You need to research the features of your VoIP service as it pertains to emergency dialing by accessing the service provider’s web site. Links for many of the providers are found on the Links page of this Web site. Search provider’s Web sites for “emergency calling”. Once you are aware of the 9-1-1 limitations, you need to notify all potential users of the phone (spouse, children, babysitters, etc.).

3. How is my 9-1-1 call routed to the correct location? 
When you sign up for VoIP you must register your location. In order for 9-1-1 emergency dialing to work properly, the service address of file for you MUST correspond to the physical location of your VoIP phone. This will enable your VoIP service provider to identify your 9-1-1 call center. You cannot specify a P.O. Box.

4. What if my 9-1-1 call is misrouted to the incorrect 9-1-1 answering point? 
If your VoIP 9-1-1 call is not routed to the correct 9-1-1 call center, you should tell the call taker the city, county and state where you need help. The call taker can attempt to transfer your emergency call to the correct call center. It is a good idea to know what police, fire or sheriff’s department is responsible for your 9-1-1 calls and have their 10-digit phone number on hand to provide the call taker.

5. Does 9-1-1 know where I am when calling from my VoIP phone? 
It depends. The first information you will need to provide or verify for the 9-1-1 call taker is your location, name, and telephone number, especially if the emergency service personnel does NOT have this information available automatically. When this occurs, your call goes to a remote private call center or non-emergency line at the 9-1-1 center, which is different from how traditional 9-1-1 calls are routed to an emergency call center.

6. Can I call 9-1-1 from my VoIP phone when I’m traveling? 
Your VoIP provider may offer the ability to travel with, or move your VoIP service to take advantage of any location with broadband internet access. Your VoIP service provider should offer at least one way to update your registered location. However, the time it takes to update or make any changes to your registered location varies greatly. If you relocate your VoIP phone on a temporary basis, such as taking it with you when you go on a trip, don’t use it to get emergency help. Use another telephone to dial 9-1-1.

7. What if my 9-1-1 call is disconnected or cut off? 
Unlike traditional 9-1-1 service, the 9-1-1 call taker may not be able to call you back if you are disconnected. They may not have access to your phone number. If you are disconnected, hang up and dial 9-1-1 again.

8. Do service outages affect my ability to call 9-1-1? 
They may. Just as your regular cordless phone will not work without power, your VoIP phone may not work without power either. As a result, you may be unable to make any calls, including those to 9-1-1 during an electrical power outage.

Similarly, you may not be able to make 9-1-1 calls from your VoIP phone if your broadband or cable service provider has an outage or if any other service disruptions keep you from being able to make any outbound call.

9. Do I need to notify someone if I move? 
Yes. When you move, you must update your registered location on your service provider’s web site. It may take several days to update your record.

10. Should I keep my traditional phone line after I subscribe to VoIP service? 
Yes. 9-1-1 industry leaders recommend that you keep your traditional phone line in addition to your VoIP phone service in order to successfully access 9-1-1 services and to have telephone access during a power outage.

11. Do I need to tell anyone in my family that I have changed our phone service? 
Yes. It is very important that all persons that live in your home understand the differences in emergency calling with your new VoIP service. Children and babysitters always need to be educated on how to call 9-1-1 in an emergency. You might want to post your phone number and address by the phone for easy access.

12. Will my home/business security monitoring service work with my VoIP service? 
It might, but it might not. Check with your VoIP service provider to see if they support analog modem traffic such as burglar alarms, fax machines, DVRs (digital video recorders), such as Tivo.

13. Can I make a 9-1-1 test call from my VoIP phone? 
It depends. Before doing so, please contact your 9-1-1 call center on their non-emergency line. Confirm that you are in their 9-1-1 jurisdiction and then ask if you can place a test 9-1-1 call. Many 9-1-1 call centers will comply with this request as long as they are not too busy with other emergency calls at the time. They may ask you to place your test call at a certain time.