VoIP and 9-1-1: what Canadian businesses should know

What is VoIP, and why is 9-1-1 different?

VoIP (voice over Internet Protocol) phone service carries calls over the internet instead of a traditional phone line. Many business phone systems, softphone apps and virtual numbers work this way.

On a traditional phone line, a 9-1-1 call goes straight to the nearest emergency response centre, which knows where the line is. The CRTC’s model notice for VoIP customers explains that with VoIP, your 9-1-1 call may instead be forwarded to a third-party service provider, which routes it to the emergency centre automatically or by hand. And because a VoIP phone can be moved, the emergency operator may not have your name, location or contact information.

What do CRTC rules require from VoIP providers?

The CRTC sets three main obligations for companies that offer local VoIP phone service in Canada:

1. Provide 9-1-1 service, either Basic or Enhanced, to their customers (Telecom Decision CRTC 2005-21).
2. Tell customers about any limits of their 9-1-1 or Enhanced 9-1-1 service. The notice must be given at sign-up and installation, in marketing materials and in the terms of service, and posted on the web through an easily accessible link. This applies to providers of nomadic and fixed/non-native local VoIP service.
3. Register with the CRTC, as a reseller or, if they own transmission facilities, as a competitive local exchange carrier.

The CRTC also expects providers to get the customer’s express consent, before service starts, acknowledging that they understand the 9-1-1 limits, and to let customers update their address online.

When can a 9-1-1 call over VoIP fail?

The CRTC’s model notice lists the situations. A VoIP phone needs a paid-up subscription, a working internet connection and power. So 9-1-1 may fail, be disrupted or be delayed:

• during a power outage;
• during a network or internet outage, including congestion;
• if the service is suspended or disconnected, for example for non-payment.

Transferring a phone number between providers can also briefly disrupt service, including 9-1-1, according to the CRTC’s page on switching providers.

What should my business do about it?

The steps below come from the notice the CRTC asks VoIP providers to give their customers:

• Say where you are. On every 9-1-1 call, tell the operator your location and how to reach you right away. Don’t assume they can see it.
• Keep your service address up to date with your provider. If you can’t speak, the operator may assume you are at the last address on file.
• Keep another way to call. The CRTC’s model notice recommends keeping an alternative phone service, such as a cellphone, for outages.
• Don’t hang up. Stay on the line until the dispatcher tells you to. If the call drops, call back immediately.
• Tell everyone who uses the phones. Staff and anyone else who might call 9-1-1 from your lines need to know the limits. The CRTC’s model notice suggests stickers on the phone sets.

What should I ask a provider before I sign up?

• Do you provide Basic or Enhanced 9-1-1, and what are its limits?
• Where can I read your 9-1-1 notice? (It must be on the web through an easily accessible link.)
• How do I update the address used for 9-1-1, and can I do it online?
• What happens to 9-1-1 during a power or internet outage at my business?

A good provider answers these plainly before you pay anything.