VON: Level 3 launches E-911 service, deals

BOSTON--VoIP customers have another nine days to acknowledge notification from their VoIP service providers of the limited ability of VoIP offerings to support E-911 before those services are disconnected. Meanwhile, Level 3 Communications is seeking to help its interconnected VoIP providers comply with the Federal Communications Commission mandate for E-911 support with its new E-911 Direct service, launching this week at the VON trade show.

The offering includes both Level 3's fixed location and nomadic VoIP E-911 capabilities. The nomadic solution will launch in the fouth quarter. Level 3 also is announcing this week that Vonage is among the first customers for the service. Because VoIP service isn't location dependent, VoIP providers are required to provide their subscribers with a means of updating their address or location information as often as necessary. To offer the nomadic portion of the E-911 Direct service, Level 3 is working with multiple VoIP Positioning Centers (VPCs) that are responsible for collecting, updating and reporting subscriber location information. The information provided by the VPCs will allow Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) operators to provide critical location information to emergency responders.

Level 3's service routes and completes 911 calls with physical location information to the appropriate selective router and PSAP. "VoIP providers are under pressure to comply with the FCC's regulations, and we are working with our customers and business partners to deliver the infrastructure needed to make E-911 for nomadic VoIP services a reality," said Myrle McNeal, senior vice president of Local Voice Services for Level 3 Communications.