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911 Dialing and Safety Features
Vonage and 911
Not all VoIP, voice over internet protocol, phone services offer the 911 dialing feature. Vonage is one of the few that does. Your 911 dialing service is quickly set-up by filling in a short form when you set up your account.
E911 calling
It is important to remember that the 911 dialing service will immediately transfer the registered information to the emergency response center in your area. This means that your street address and callback phone number will be sent to the emergency personnel as soon as you use your Vonage system to dial 911, provided that your emergency center is equipped to receive this information. This type of response is known as E911 service, and may not be available in all locations at this time.
Basic 911 calling
If your emergency response center only has basic 911 dialing, they will require that you provide the street address and possibly even confirm the return calling information. It is important for all members of the household to know this information and be able to provide it to emergency response operators in times of crisis. As emergency response centers upgrade to E911 capability Vonage will automatically upgrade your number, and you will not need to do anything to start this process. You will not be notified that the upgrade has been done, but you can call the customer support center and verify the update if required.
911 calling not available
There are still some areas that do not have basic 911 calling. If you live in such an area your 911 calls will automatically be routed to the Vonage National Emergency Call Center, and will be answered by a trained agent that will obtain your address, callback number and any additional information required and then contact your local emergency response agency. This will also occur if your address falls into a non-911 call area or is not validated, if you are on a mobile device, or if you are identified with an international location. 911 calls from a softPhone or WiFi device will automatically be routed through the Vonage emergency call center for an exact location of the call to be determined before contacting emergency services.
Moving or traveling
Since the Vonage service can move or travel with you it is important to keep your information updated through your Web Account. If you don’t update the account any 911 information sent will be the last address on record, which may not be up-to-date or correct. There is no cost to change your address on record, and the change may take a few hours to take effect. You will receive a confirmation email that the new address has been recorded.
SoftPhone and WiFi devices
Since softPhone and WiFi devices are by nature the mobile communication devices of choice, all 911 calls made from these devices will be automatically routed through the Vonage National Emergency Call Center, and the user will need to verify the physical address they need assistance at. The agent at the call center will then contact local authorities or emergency personnel and direct them to the correct address.