News release
April 4th, 2005
CRTC Decision on 9-1-1 Emergency Services for
VoIP Service Providers
OTTAWA-GATINEAU — The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications
Commission (CRTC) today announced a decision that addresses the requirements
for voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) service providers to offer emergency
9-1-1 service.
In this decision, the Commission requires VoIP service providers who
provide fixed VoIP service to provide the same level of 9-1-1 emergency
service that is provided by the incumbent telephone companies to their
existing customers (either Enhanced 9-1-1 or Basic 9-1-1 service), within 90
days from the date of this decision.
The Commission requires VoIP service providers providing either nomadic VoIP service or foreign exchange VoIP service to implement, within 90 days
of the date of this decision, an interim solution which provides a level of
service comparable to Basic 9-1-1 service.
The different types of VoIP services and Enhanced and Basic 9-1-1
services are explained below.
In addition to the above service requirements, the Commission also
requires all VoIP service providers to provide customers with notification,
both before service commencement and during service provision, regarding any
limitations associated with their emergency 9-1-1 service. The VoIP service
providers must also secure the customer’s express acknowledgement that they
are aware of these limitations, prior to providing this type of service.
VoIP service providers must notify customers of all limitations on
emergency services before commencement of service to them. This information
must be provided to them in the marketing material used for television,
radio and printed media; in the terms and conditions of service; in on-line
material; through their customer service representatives; in their service
contracts and in their starter kits. Where service limitations exist, the
Commission also requires that all VoIP providers provide on-going customer
notification during service provisioning, by issuing warning stickers to be
affixed to telephone sets, through any subsequent advertising and in billing
inserts.
The CRTC Interconnection Steering Committee (CISC), composed of CRTC
staff and industry, consumer and emergency services representatives, has
been asked to resolve the challenges related providing Enhanced 9-1-1 and
Basic 9-1-1 service with nomadic and foreign exchange VoIP services.
Specific timeframes have been established for when CISC is required to
report to the Commission on possible solutions and recommendations to solve
the 9-1-1 issues.
Types of VoIP Services
There are currently three different types of VoIP service offered to
customers: fixed, nomadic and foreign exchange. Users of fixed VoIP service
can only place a telephone call from the location where their service is is
being provided. Users of nomadic VoIP service can make calls from any
location where users can get access to Internet service. Foreign exchange VoIP service allows users in one exchange to receive telephone calls dialled
as local calls in another exchange that they have selected (e.g. a customer
located in Ottawa with a Halifax local telephone number).
Existing Enhanced and Basic 9-1-1 Services
The existing local telephone network currently provides for two types of
9-1-1 service: Enhanced 9-1-1 (E9-1-1) service and Basic 9-1-1 service.
Enhanced 9-1-1 service automatically sends customer location information to
an emergency centre where an operator dispatches a response service. Basic
9-1-1 service connects the caller to a central call centre which then
connects the call to the correct emergency response centre, at which point
the caller must identify his or her location in order for an emergency
response service to be dispatched.
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission is an
independent public authority that regulates and supervises broadcasting and
telecommunications in Canada.
Reference document: Telecom Decision CRTC 2005-21 [.htm] [.pdf]
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Media Relations:
MediaRelations@crtc.gc.ca, Tel: (819) 997-9403, Fax: (819) 997-4245
General Inquiries:
Tel: (819) 997-0313, TDD: (819) 994-0423, Fax: (819) 994-0218
Toll-free # 1-877-249-CRTC (2782), eMail:
info@crtc.gc.ca
TDD - Toll-free # 1-877-909-2782
Copies of today’s documents are available through our Internet site
(http://www.crtc.gc.ca) or by contacting the public examination room of any
CRTC office. These documents are available in alternative format upon
request.
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Date Modified: 2005-04-04 |