E911 Extension Granted

A Vonage representative said today the company has been granted a deadline extension to fulfill its customer notification obligations.

The prior deadline was July 29. Now, Vonage and other VOIP providers like Skype will have until the end of August to notify 100 percent of its estimated 800,000 subscribers before the FCC would begin enforcement actions.

The FCC order requires VOIP providers provide ”enhanced” 911 service, which delivers a caller’s name, telephone number, and physical address directly to the console of the local Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) in an emergency. Vonage has notified the bulk of its customers that it uses their registered address, and should they change locations that it is their responsibility to update that address.

Brooke Schultz, spokeswoman for the Edison, NJ-based firm, said today the company had already notified the majority of its subscribers, and said she was hopeful her company would hit the 100 percent mark, or as close to it as possible.

The company has been aggressive about contacting its customers, using email, voicemail, and other outreach efforts. What's being sought is confirmation that its users have read and acknowledge the company's statement on its enhanced 911 service.
Just how far Vonage has to go to reach the rest of its customers in the next month remains unclear, and is typical for much of the industry, which has been quietly hoping for more time to comply with the FCC's order.

A PDF of the FCC's public notice on the issue can be found here.

A Reuters story covering the issue can be found here.