VoIP Toolkit

Story: VoIP lobby group formed over 999 issue

• 
• 

Should 999 support be a mandate or a guideline?

This is a tough question, because while I agree with the previous post that VoIP is set to become the vehicle of choice in the coming years, I also believe that the regulators must realise that if they impose mandatory requirements at such an early stage it could serve to slow the progress of this important technology.

Today I would not consider VoIP without having a backup. We have 2 US locations and 1 UK location using VoIP as our primary telephones, but in all cases we have local backup lines. Given the current state of technology I would not use 999 on my VoIP lines in any case.

I believe that a better approach would be to make the rule a non-mandatory guideline, allowing the market another 24 months to settle out and the new technologies to come in. Coupled with this might be a requirement to provide a more visible warning to prospective users making them agree (legally) to an understanding that there will be no 999 coverage.

Given this approach the larger companies would most likely go ahead with the addition of 999. It may be that after that time the customer base should be allowed to opt in or out of 999 service, but I think a mandatory rule is premature.

David Brown
Jasmine Partners LLC

• 
• 

• 
• 
• 

Full Talkback thread